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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. rock — a stone
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. saw — the tool
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rock — music
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — an injury
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bulb — for light
  23. arm — part of the body
  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