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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. march — the month
  3. kid — child
  4. march — music
  5. ball — a dance
  6. mark — a trace
  7. current — of water
  8. scale — size or range
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. march — the month
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. current — electric
  15. kick — in football
  16. current — happening now
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mark — a grade
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. kid — to tease
  23. scale — in music
  24. mark — to pay attention

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com