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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  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. staff — a stick
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a signal
  5. mate — a friend
  6. bulb — for light
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mate — to breed
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. mate — a partner
  12. cue — a hint
  13. hand — in cards
  14. branch — a division
  15. scale — in music
  16. hand — help
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. staff — employees
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. staff — employees
  22. bulb — for light
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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