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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 120 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. ball — a great time
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. season — of the year
  5. scale — in music
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. season — in sport
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. board — to get on
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. deal — to handle
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. scale — size or range
  21. ball — a dance
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. deal — an agreement

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