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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. rush — hurry
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. foot — a measure
  8. present — a gift
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. ball — a dance
  12. present — the time now
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. track — to keep track
  15. ball — a great time
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. present — there
  19. track — a path
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. track — a song

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