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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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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 · march · safe · bay · scale · kid · rock · bulb

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. march — the month
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bulb — for light
  5. march — the month
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. kid — child
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. rock — music
  10. march — music
  11. kid — to tease
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. cap — a lid
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. scale — in music
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rock — to move gently

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