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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 120 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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bound — obliged
  3. scale — size or range
  4. cue — a signal
  5. drill — the tool
  6. deal — to handle
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bound — certain
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. row — to paddle
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. row — a line
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. drill — army training
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — in a race
  20. drill — a practice
  21. cue — a hint
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bound — tied together
  24. cue — for pool

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