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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bat — the animal
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. scale — size or range
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. club — for dancing
  11. scale — in music
  12. staff — employees
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. wax — to grow
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. staff — a stick
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. club — for golf
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. staff — employees
  23. club — a group
  24. jam — in traffic

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