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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. ball — a dance
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. scale — size or range
  7. fine — high quality
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. fine — all right
  16. ball — a great time
  17. game — a match
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a leader
  22. scale — in music
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. game — wild animals

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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