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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. cue — a signal
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. march — music
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. march — the month
  8. file — a document
  9. cue — a hint
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. file — a line of people
  12. scale — size or range
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. cue — for pool
  15. rush — hurry
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. file — a tool
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. march — the month
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. scale — in music

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