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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bank — of a river
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — for pool
  6. scale — in music
  7. file — a document
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. file — a tool
  12. suit — to fit
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bank — for money
  15. fall — the season
  16. bank — for money
  17. fall — to drop
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. suit — clothes
  20. scale — size or range
  21. cue — a hint
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. file — a line of people

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