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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 116 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. file — a tool
  9. cue — a signal
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. scale — in music
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. content — the amount
  16. stand — to bear
  17. file — a document
  18. content — happy
  19. bank — for money
  20. mug — a face
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. mug — a cup

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