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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 124 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 light ________________ burned out.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mug — a cup
  4. board — a committee
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mug — a face
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. mug — to rob
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rule — government
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. board — to get on
  19. rule — a law
  20. scale — size or range
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. game — a match
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. nail — on a finger

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