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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. cue — a signal
  4. perch — the fish
  5. vault — a safe
  6. scale — in music
  7. track — to keep track
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. cue — for pool
  11. track — a path
  12. wound — an injury
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bound — obliged
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bat — the animal
  19. track — a song
  20. bound — tied together
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bound — certain
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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