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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. cue — for pool
  3. scale — in music
  4. club — for dancing
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cue — a signal
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. stand — to bear
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. cue — a hint
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. club — for golf
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. scale — size or range
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. club — a group
  24. stand — on your feet

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