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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. cue — for pool
  3. pitch — completely
  4. cue — a signal
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to click
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. scale — in music
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. root — of a word
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. scale — size or range
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — the cause
  22. cue — a hint
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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