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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. pop — soda
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — size or range
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. season — in sport
  8. fine — all right
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pit — in a race
  12. content — happy
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. content — the amount
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — to rob
  17. fine — high quality
  18. season — of the year
  19. mug — a face
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. pop — music

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