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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. mine — for digging
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bulb — for light
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rock — music
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. track — a path
  13. track — a song
  14. rush — hurry
  15. fork — in a road
  16. track — to keep track
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. jam — a tight spot

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