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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. cue — for pool
  3. deal — to handle
  4. staff — employees
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. staff — a stick
  7. current — happening now
  8. staff — employees
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. scale — in music
  13. current — electric
  14. current — of water
  15. scale — size or range
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — a signal
  18. mine — for digging

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