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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. staff — a stick
  11. board — to get on
  12. scale — in music
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. wake — a trail
  16. staff — employees
  17. prune — to trim
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. prune — to trim
  21. staff — employees
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. snap — to click

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