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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. scale — size or range
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. rest — what's left
  10. charge — electricity
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. rest — a break
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. scale — in music
  17. charge — a price
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bear — the animal
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. charge — in control

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