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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. scale — in music
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. squash — to crush
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. cue — for pool
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. chair — a leader
  13. scale — size or range
  14. suit — to fit
  15. snap — to click
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. squash — the sport
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. suit — in cards
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. suit — clothes

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