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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. drill — army training
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. drill — the tool
  8. scale — in music
  9. track — to keep track
  10. board — to get on
  11. key — in music
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. track — a song
  14. drill — a practice
  15. board — a committee
  16. key — for a lock
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — a lid
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. scale — size or range
  22. key — the most important part
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. track — a path

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