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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.

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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. rest — what's left
  3. ball — a dance
  4. scale — in music
  5. branch — a division
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. game — a match
  9. game — wild animals
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. rest — a break
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ball — a great time
  18. board — to get on
  19. rest — what's left
  20. scale — size or range
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. board — a committee
  24. scale — for weighing

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