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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. ground — crushed
  6. court — of a king
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. stock — shares
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. ground — the earth
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. staff — employees
  13. tube — the underground
  14. court — of law
  15. ground — a position
  16. tube — a container
  17. stock — goods
  18. scale — size or range
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. staff — employees
  21. court — for sport
  22. staff — a stick
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rock — music

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