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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 120 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bank — for money
  6. kid — to tease
  7. scale — size or range
  8. kid — child
  9. bank — for money
  10. object — to protest
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fall — to drop
  18. lean — to bend
  19. object — an aim
  20. lean — thin
  21. object — a thing
  22. fall — the season
  23. bank — of a river
  24. fall — to drop

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