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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cue — a hint
  4. scale — in music
  5. track — a song
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a friend
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. rest — a break
  12. track — a path
  13. mate — a partner
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. track — to keep track
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cue — for pool
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cue — a signal
  24. scale — size or range

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