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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. scale — size or range
  3. pop — music
  4. scale — in music
  5. cap — a lid
  6. pop — soda
  7. swing — to play on
  8. pop — to visit
  9. suit — to fit
  10. chest — a box
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cap — a hat
  13. chest — of your body
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. suit — clothes
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. swing — in golf
  18. suit — in cards
  19. swing — music
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. chest — of your body
  24. rest — what's left

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