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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 124 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. scale — in music
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bear — the animal
  6. race — a contest
  7. degree — an amount
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. perch — the fish
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. degree — temperature
  12. degree — from a university
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bear — the animal
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — to bear
  17. race — humankind
  18. toast — bread
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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