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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 120 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: season · cabinet · march · can · racket · bear · mouse · scale

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. can — a tin
  3. scale — size or range
  4. march — music
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. can — to be able to
  10. scale — in music
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. march — the month
  16. season — in sport
  17. can — a tin
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. march — the month
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. season — of the year
  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