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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.

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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. can — a tin
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. can — a tin
  5. hand — in cards
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bass — the fish
  10. cue — a signal
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. cue — for pool
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. tear — to rip
  18. cue — a hint
  19. hand — help
  20. tear — from crying
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. vault — a safe
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. tear — from crying

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