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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. land — ground
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. cue — a signal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. scale — in music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. cue — a hint
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. rock — music
  14. land — a country
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. game — wild animals
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. land — to come down
  22. cue — for pool
  23. game — a match
  24. game — a kind of play

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