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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pass — a permit
  6. mark — a trace
  7. chip — for betting
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. scale — in music
  12. prune — to trim
  13. cap — of ice
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. chip — to eat
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. mark — a grade

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