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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  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. rock — a stone
  2. cue — for pool
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. last — to go on
  7. rock — music
  8. cue — a hint
  9. root — of a plant
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. cue — a signal
  12. root — the cause
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. scale — size or range
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. root — of a word
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. last — finally
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. last — final
  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