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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. key — in music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. saw — the tool
  9. firm — steady
  10. key — for a lock
  11. rock — music
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. firm — a company
  16. tube — the underground
  17. scale — in music
  18. cue — a hint
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. saw — the tool
  21. firm — decided
  22. key — the most important part
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. tube — a container

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