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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — for pool
  5. rule — a law
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. key — in music
  8. net — for catching
  9. scale — in music
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. cue — a signal
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. key — the most important part
  14. rule — government
  15. pitch — completely
  16. net — in sport
  17. scale — size or range
  18. perch — the fish
  19. net — after costs
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. key — for a lock

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