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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 120 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. last — to go on
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. root — the cause
  8. last — final
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rule — government
  12. pop — soda
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. root — of a plant
  16. last — finally
  17. mine — for digging
  18. pop — music
  19. root — of a word
  20. pop — to visit
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. scale — in 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