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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 116 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. swing — music
  3. land — to come down
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. land — ground
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. tube — a container
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. season — of the year
  13. lie — to recline
  14. land — a country
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. swing — to play on
  17. tube — the underground
  18. season — in sport
  19. lean — to bend
  20. swing — in golf
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. scale — size or range
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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