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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 124 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
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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: jam · pop · can · scale · cap · march · lie · racket

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pop — to visit
  5. can — a tin
  6. cap — a lid
  7. scale — in music
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. scale — size or range
  10. can — to be able to
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. march — the month
  13. march — music
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cap — a hat
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. pop — soda
  22. can — a tin
  23. march — the month
  24. cap — of ice

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