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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rest — what's left
  4. spring — the season
  5. tube — a container
  6. scale — in music
  7. pitch — completely
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. scale — size or range
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. spring — of water
  16. rest — what's left
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pass — a permit
  19. rest — a break
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. spring — a coil

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