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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. kid — child
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. saw — the tool
  7. scale — size or range
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. kid — to tease
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. clip — a video
  16. clip — to cut
  17. foot — a measure
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. clip — for paper
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. saw — the tool
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. nail — on a finger

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