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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pass — a permit
  4. kick — in football
  5. mark — a grade
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. cell — a phone
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a tool
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. cell — in biology
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. file — a document
  18. mark — a trace
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. scale — size or range
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. can — a tin
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. trunk — of a tree

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