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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. club — for dancing
  3. spell — a short time
  4. suit — to fit
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. rock — a stone
  7. spell — letters
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. suit — clothes
  11. spell — magic
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — a hint
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. club — for golf
  16. tube — a container
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. cue — for pool
  19. suit — in cards
  20. scale — in music
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. club — a group
  23. rock — music
  24. scale — size or range

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