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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. net — in sport
  5. cap — a lid
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. net — after costs
  8. cap — of ice
  9. current — electric
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rash — a series
  13. current — of water
  14. net — for catching
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. current — happening now
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. cap — a hat
  21. scale — size or range
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rash — hasty
  24. deal — to handle

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