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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cue — a hint
  7. scale — in music
  8. cue — for pool
  9. shower — to wash
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pit — in a race
  16. scale — size or range
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. shower — rain
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. cue — a signal
  21. ball — a dance
  22. plane — a tool
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. plane — in geometry

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