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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. rock — a stone
  3. chair — a leader
  4. firm — decided
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. degree — an amount
  8. bulb — for light
  9. degree — temperature
  10. scale — in music
  11. firm — steady
  12. row — to paddle
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. firm — a company
  15. rock — music
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. row — a line
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. degree — from a university
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. bulb — for light

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