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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.

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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. net — for catching
  3. rash — a series
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bulb — for light
  6. swing — music
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rash — hasty
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — to drill
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. net — after costs
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. net — in sport
  24. scale — size or range

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