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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. cue — for pool
  6. scale — in music
  7. cue — a signal
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. cue — a hint
  11. craft — a skill
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. craft — boats
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. hand — in cards
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. hand — help
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. scale — size or range
  22. rock — music
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. craft — a handicraft

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