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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bear — the animal
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. court — for sport
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. suit — to fit
  14. court — of law
  15. court — of a king
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. cap — a hat
  20. suit — in cards
  21. scale — in music
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. straw — dry grass

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