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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.

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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 · kid · board · swing · bay · pop · scale · safe

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. kid — to tease
  3. scale — in music
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. swing — music
  6. pop — soda
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. swing — in golf
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. board — a committee
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. board — to get on
  14. cap — a lid
  15. swing — to play on
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a hat
  18. kid — child
  19. pop — music
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. pop — to visit

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