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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.

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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. cue — a hint
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bear — the animal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cue — a signal
  7. rest — what's left
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. rest — what's left
  13. scale — in music
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cue — for pool
  16. rest — a break
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stick — to attach or keep to

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