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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. scale — in music
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. drill — army training
  5. can — a tin
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. toast — bread
  8. drill — the tool
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cue — a signal
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ground — the earth
  14. cue — for pool
  15. drill — a practice
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. scale — size or range
  19. firm — steady
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. cue — a hint
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — decided
  24. prune — the fruit

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