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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mark · arm · scale · straw · lean · cue · can · squash

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. squash — to crush
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. lean — thin
  9. scale — size or range
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — a trace
  12. scale — in music
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. lean — to bend
  18. can — to be able to
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — for pool
  23. squash — the sport
  24. arm — part of the body

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