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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. scale — in music
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. pop — to visit
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. saw — the tool
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pop — music
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. fork — in a road
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. saw — the tool
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. scale — size or range
  23. pop — soda
  24. temple — a place of worship

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