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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. stem — to come from
  3. club — a group
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. scale — size or range
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. club — for dancing
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. scale — in music
  15. club — for golf
  16. band — a music group
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — all right
  19. wound — an injury
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. fine — high quality
  22. band — a ring
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. mouse — for a computer

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