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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. stem — to come from
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. season — in sport
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. club — for golf
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. season — of the year
  16. scale — in music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. club — for dancing
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. club — a group

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