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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. track — to keep track
  4. ground — the earth
  5. game — wild animals
  6. track — a song
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. suit — clothes
  11. game — a match
  12. wake — a trail
  13. scale — size or range
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. suit — to fit
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. suit — in cards
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ground — a position
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. track — a path
  23. scale — in music
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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