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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. can — a tin
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. band — a ring
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. can — to be able to
  9. mate — a partner
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. season — in sport
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. mate — a friend
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. can — a tin
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. band — a music group
  21. mate — to breed
  22. season — of the year
  23. scale — size or range
  24. pound — a weight

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