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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. row — to paddle
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. cue — a signal
  9. scale — size or range
  10. cue — a hint
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. root — of a plant
  14. row — a line
  15. foot — a measure
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — the cause
  19. dip — to sink
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. row — a quarrel

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