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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  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. cue — for pool
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stand — to bear
  7. club — for golf
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. file — a tool
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. file — a document
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. file — a line of people
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. scale — in music
  18. cue — a hint
  19. scale — size or range
  20. club — a group
  21. fork — in a road
  22. cue — a signal
  23. stand — for spectators
  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