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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — size or range
  5. mate — to breed
  6. wake — a trail
  7. mate — a friend
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mate — a partner
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a word
  14. cue — for pool
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. stand — to bear
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. root — of a plant
  19. ball — a dance
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. cue — a hint
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. ball — a great time

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