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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. scale — size or range
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. rock — a stone
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. rock — music
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. lean — thin
  16. pop — music
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lean — to bend
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. scale — in music
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pop — soda
  24. coach — a trainer

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