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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. rash — a series
  4. bore — to drill
  5. plane — a tool
  6. cue — a signal
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. rash — hasty
  9. bore — to tire
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. cue — a hint
  14. scale — size or range
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. cue — for pool
  18. chip — for betting
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. chip — to eat
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bore — gave birth

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