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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. object — a thing
  4. root — of a word
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — in sport
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. root — of a plant
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. scale — in music
  14. pitch — completely
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — a short time
  17. root — the cause
  18. object — an aim
  19. spell — letters
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. object — to protest

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