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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. pound — a weight
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. file — a tool
  6. spring — a coil
  7. file — a line of people
  8. season — in sport
  9. rock — a stone
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. season — of the year
  12. bulb — for light
  13. scale — size or range
  14. rock — music
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. spring — the season
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bulb — for light
  21. file — a document
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. spring — of water

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