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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. scale — size or range
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. track — to keep track
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. track — a song
  13. ball — a great time
  14. scale — in music
  15. track — a path
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. foot — a measure
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. hand — help
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. scale — for weighing

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