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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. squash — the sport
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rash — a series
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. squash — to crush
  7. track — to keep track
  8. craft — boats
  9. rash — hasty
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. track — a song
  12. track — a path
  13. scale — size or range
  14. craft — a skill
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. press — newspapers
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — to push
  24. rash — on the skin

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