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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 116 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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — a face
  4. mate — a partner
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. mug — to rob
  7. season — in sport
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. tube — a container
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — to breed
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. tube — the underground
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. scale — size or range
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. season — of the year
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fan — a supporter

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