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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: march · rock · cap · bay · pit · scale · squash · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. cap — a lid
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. squash — the sport
  5. scale — in music
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. rock — music
  8. cap — of ice
  9. bound — certain
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. rock — a stone
  15. squash — to crush
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. pit — in a race
  22. cap — a hat
  23. march — the month
  24. squash — the vegetable

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