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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. staff — a stick
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. rest — what's left
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. staff — employees
  9. pit — a hole
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bulb — for light
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. scale — size or range
  18. rest — a break
  19. pit — in a race
  20. staff — employees
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. scale — for weighing

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