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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. field — farmland
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — for pool
  5. scale — in music
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. field — for sport
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mate — a partner
  19. field — a subject
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. mate — to breed
  22. scale — size or range
  23. cue — a signal
  24. scale — for weighing

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