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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. cue — a signal
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. scale — size or range
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cue — a hint
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. cue — for pool
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. craft — boats
  19. wake — a trail
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bat — the animal
  24. wake — before a funeral

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