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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — in music
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. chair — a leader
  14. band — a ring
  15. plane — a tool
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. band — a music group
  19. pound — a weight
  20. scale — size or range
  21. toast — bread
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. toast — the most admired

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