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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. scale — size or range
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. rest — what's left
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cue — a hint
  10. field — farmland
  11. field — a subject
  12. rest — what's left
  13. field — for sport
  14. deal — to handle
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. rest — a break
  17. cue — a signal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. scale — in music
  21. kick — in football
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cue — for pool

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