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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. mine — for digging
  3. prune — to trim
  4. board — a committee
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. cap — a hat
  10. firm — decided
  11. lie — to recline
  12. fine — high quality
  13. firm — steady
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. cap — a lid
  16. prune — to trim
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. board — to get on
  20. cap — of ice
  21. scale — size or range
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. firm — a company

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