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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. scale — size or range
  5. toast — bread
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. spell — letters
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. swing — music
  13. mate — a friend
  14. spell — magic
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. spell — a short time
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — to breed
  21. swing — in golf
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. swing — to play on
  24. toast — the most admired

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