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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. perch — the fish
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. scale — size or range
  11. mate — a partner
  12. cap — of ice
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. cap — a hat
  15. mate — a friend
  16. stem — to come from
  17. mate — to breed
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. chair — a leader
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. cap — a lid

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