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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 felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. deal — to handle
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bank — for money
  6. fine — high quality
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — in music
  10. fine — all right
  11. toast — bread
  12. chest — of your body
  13. cap — a hat
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bank — for money
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. cap — a lid
  21. scale — size or range
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. bank — of a river

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