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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  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 — size or range
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. chair — a leader
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. cap — a hat
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. band — a music group
  8. season — of the year
  9. rash — a series
  10. band — a ring
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. scale — in music
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. season — in sport
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. cap — of ice
  22. rash — hasty
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. cap — a lid

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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