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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. object — a thing
  3. cold — an illness
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mate — a partner
  7. staff — a stick
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. board — to get on
  10. object — an aim
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. object — to protest
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. scale — size or range
  20. staff — employees
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cold — not warm
  23. mate — a friend
  24. staff — employees

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