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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. cue — a hint
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. staff — employees
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. rush — hurry
  9. staff — a stick
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. cue — a signal
  13. clip — to cut
  14. cue — for pool
  15. clip — for paper
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. scale — in music
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. staff — employees
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. clip — a video

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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