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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bass — low music
  4. scale — in music
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bass — the fish
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mark — a trace
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. date — the fruit
  24. mark — a grade

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