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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. court — for sport
  9. chip — for betting
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. court — of a king
  12. cell — a phone
  13. chip — to eat
  14. ball — a great time
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. court — of law
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. wax — to grow
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. ball — a dance

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