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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.

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: racket · scale · last · pop · hide · fine · dip · cabinet

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. scale — size or range
  3. last — to go on
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — soda
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. last — final
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. dip — to sink
  14. pop — music
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. fine — high quality
  17. scale — in music
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. last — finally
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. fine — all right
  24. cabinet — ministers

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