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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. net — in sport
  3. net — for catching
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. cue — a signal
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. board — to get on
  8. rock — a stone
  9. cue — for pool
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. scale — size or range
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. board — a committee
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. wax — to grow
  19. rock — music
  20. net — after costs
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. snap — to click
  23. cue — a hint
  24. wax — in the ear

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