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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. scale — in music
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. pop — to visit
  9. game — wild animals
  10. game — a match
  11. net — in sport
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. net — for catching
  14. pop — music
  15. swing — to play on
  16. bank — for money
  17. toast — bread
  18. bank — for money
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. bank — of a river
  21. pop — soda
  22. swing — music
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. net — after costs

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