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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.

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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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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: cap · track · pop · season · scale · fan

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. cap — of ice
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. track — a song
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pop — to visit
  10. cap — a hat
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pop — music
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — of the year
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a path
  18. cap — a lid

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