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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  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. board — a flat piece
  3. fine — high quality
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — magic
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fine — all right
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. rock — music
  16. board — a committee
  17. spell — letters
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. chair — a leader
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. rock — a stone
  23. board — to get on
  24. scale — in music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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