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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 120 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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. court — of law
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. court — for sport
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. face — to confront
  11. court — of a king
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — a grade
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. scale — in music
  18. can — a tin
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. can — a tin
  22. face — to point toward
  23. can — to be able to
  24. face — part of the head

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