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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. net — for catching
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fall — the season
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. pit — a hole
  9. snap — to click
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — for pool
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. net — after costs
  14. scale — size or range
  15. root — the cause
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. pit — in a race
  19. cue — a signal
  20. root — of a plant
  21. net — in sport
  22. root — of a word
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — to drop

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