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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bore — to tire
  6. scale — in music
  7. stand — to bear
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bore — to drill
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. face — to confront
  17. season — in sport
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. season — of the year
  20. face — part of the head
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. face — to point toward
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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