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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.

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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · chest · pop · racket · fine · scale

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. can — to be able to
  3. chest — of your body
  4. can — a tin
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pop — to visit
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. pop — music
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. fine — high quality
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. can — a tin
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fine — all right
  16. chest — of your body
  17. pop — soda
  18. scale — in music

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