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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. scale — size or range
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. saw — the tool
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. mark — a grade
  15. stand — to bear
  16. shower — to wash
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cue — a hint
  22. fork — in a road
  23. shower — rain
  24. branch — a division

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