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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. scale — in music
  3. bass — the fish
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. lean — thin
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bass — low music
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. chip — to eat
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — for betting
  24. ball — a great time

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