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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. season — of the year
  5. cell — a phone
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. scale — size or range
  8. mug — a face
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. scale — in music
  12. present — there
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. cell — in biology
  18. present — a gift
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. dip — to sink
  22. season — in sport
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. present — the time now

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