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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. mug — to rob
  3. cue — a hint
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cue — for pool
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. scale — in music
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. court — of law
  12. mug — a face
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. court — of a king
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. court — for sport
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mug — a cup
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. cue — a signal

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