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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. swing — music
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. staff — a stick
  8. band — a music group
  9. swing — in golf
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. band — a ring
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — a friend
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. staff — employees
  17. scale — in music
  18. fall — to drop
  19. swing — to play on
  20. mate — to breed
  21. staff — employees
  22. fall — to drop
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fall — the season

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