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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bear — the animal
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. chest — of your body
  8. bear — the animal
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. rock — a stone
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. chest — of your body
  13. scale — in music
  14. chest — a box
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. saw — the tool
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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