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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. rest — a break
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. roll — a cake
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. field — for sport
  7. firm — decided
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pitch — completely
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. firm — a company
  13. field — a subject
  14. field — farmland
  15. scale — in music
  16. firm — steady
  17. can — a tin
  18. rest — what's left
  19. can — a tin
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. scale — size or range
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. roll — a list
  24. rest — what's left

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