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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. pop — to visit
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. cue — a hint
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. last — to go on
  8. last — final
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pop — soda
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cue — a signal
  18. scale — size or range
  19. pop — music
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. scale — in music
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. cue — for pool

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