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

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — size or range
  5. mate — to breed
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pitch — completely
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. scale — in music
  15. rash — hasty
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — a friend
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. rash — a series

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