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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 120 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. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bulb — for light
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. prune — to trim
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bat — the animal
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. prune — to trim

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