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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. scale — in music
  3. hand — in cards
  4. roll — a list
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. rest — what's left
  9. cue — a signal
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. cue — a hint
  12. plane — a tool
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. scale — size or range
  16. cue — for pool
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. roll — a cake
  20. rest — a break
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. hand — help
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rest — what's left

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