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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. court — for sport
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. court — of a king
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. cue — a hint
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. charge — electricity
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. charge — a price
  12. scale — size or range
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. charge — in control
  17. cue — a signal
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. court — of law
  22. cue — for pool
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a music group

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