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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bound — tied together
  5. rest — what's left
  6. cap — a hat
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. row — to paddle
  12. bound — certain
  13. bound — obliged
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cap — of ice
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — for pool
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. rest — a break
  22. cue — a hint
  23. row — a line
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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