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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 120 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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. cue — a hint
  4. track — a song
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. band — a music group
  8. track — a path
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. lie — to recline
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. scale — in music
  13. perch — the fish
  14. cue — a signal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. track — to keep track
  17. scale — size or range
  18. cue — for pool
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. band — a ring
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. perch — for a bird

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