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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  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. can — to be able to
  2. game — a match
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fine — all right
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. net — for catching
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — a signal
  10. fine — high quality
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stand — to bear
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. net — after costs
  15. scale — size or range
  16. game — wild animals
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. can — a tin
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. can — a tin
  22. net — in sport
  23. game — a kind of play
  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