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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. rest — what's left
  3. scale — size or range
  4. club — for golf
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. club — for dancing
  7. mate — a friend
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. scale — in music
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rest — what's left
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mate — to breed
  14. cue — for pool
  15. rest — a break
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mate — a partner
  18. cue — a signal
  19. club — a group
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. cue — a hint
  24. straw — dry grass

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