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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 116 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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. scale — size or range
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ball — a dance
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. cue — a signal
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. dip — to sink
  14. cue — for pool
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. ball — a great time
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. scale — in music
  23. rush — hurry
  24. nail — for a hammer

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