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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. present — a gift
  3. march — the month
  4. present — there
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. present — the time now
  7. bear — the animal
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pitch — completely
  10. march — the month
  11. ball — a dance
  12. scale — size or range
  13. kid — child
  14. march — music
  15. ball — a great time
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. scale — in music
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. kid — to tease
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. bear — the animal

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