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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. pop — soda
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mate — a partner
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pop — music
  8. cue — a signal
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. pop — to visit
  12. wax — to grow
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — after costs
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mate — a friend
  17. staff — employees
  18. scale — size or range
  19. net — in sport
  20. scale — in music
  21. staff — a stick
  22. cue — a hint
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. cue — for pool

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