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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. scale — in music
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. lean — thin
  6. saw — the tool
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. lean — to bend
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. cue — a hint
  12. season — of the year
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — size or range
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. season — in sport
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a signal
  23. saw — the tool
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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