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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. rest — a break
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. swing — music
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. drill — the tool
  9. band — a ring
  10. drill — a practice
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mate — to breed
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. mate — a friend
  15. band — a music group
  16. drill — army training
  17. scale — in music
  18. swing — in golf
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mate — a partner
  22. swing — to play on
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

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