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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 120 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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. scale — in music
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. scale — size or range
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. drill — army training
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cue — for pool
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pitch — completely
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. drill — a practice
  24. arm — a part of something

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