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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 116 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cue — a hint
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mark — a trace
  7. file — a document
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cue — a signal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. file — a line of people
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. mark — a grade
  19. scale — in music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. file — a tool
  22. cue — for pool
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bulb — for light

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