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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. cue — a signal
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. cue — for pool
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a cup
  12. cue — a hint
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. season — of the year
  15. mug — a face
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. scale — size or range
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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