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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. fine — high quality
  4. tear — from crying
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. object — to protest
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. tear — to rip
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. tube — a container
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. object — a thing
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. scale — size or range
  19. perch — the fish
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. tear — from crying
  22. object — an aim
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tube — in a tire

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