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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. foot — a measure
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. court — of a king
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bass — the fish
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bass — low music
  16. scale — in music
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. court — of law
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. vault — a safe
  21. cue — for pool
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. court — for sport

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