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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. land — to come down
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. stem — to come from
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. land — ground
  10. ball — a dance
  11. club — a group
  12. ball — a great time
  13. cue — a hint
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. snap — to click
  16. cue — for pool
  17. land — a country
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. club — for dancing
  20. scale — in music
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. club — for golf
  23. cue — a signal
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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