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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. root — of a word
  3. wake — a trail
  4. lean — thin
  5. cue — a hint
  6. last — to go on
  7. last — final
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. charge — a price
  11. lean — to bend
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. cue — for pool
  14. charge — in control
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. last — finally
  17. root — of a plant
  18. scale — size or range
  19. court — of law
  20. cue — a signal
  21. root — the cause
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of a king
  24. charge — electricity

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