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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. firm — decided
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. season — in sport
  7. scale — size or range
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — steady
  15. saw — the tool
  16. snap — to click
  17. season — of the year
  18. ball — a great time
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. saw — the tool
  21. mine — for digging
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. rush — hurry
  24. ball — a dance

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