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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. cue — a signal
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — soda
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. kick — in football
  9. scale — size or range
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. spring — a coil
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. pop — to visit
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. ball — a dance
  17. cue — a hint
  18. ball — a great time
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. cue — for pool
  21. deal — to handle
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — the season
  24. kick — a thrill

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