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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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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: cue · squash · rest · fine · mug · can · scale · mark

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. cue — a signal
  3. fine — all right
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mug — a face
  8. mark — a trace
  9. cue — for pool
  10. rest — a break
  11. mug — a cup
  12. squash — the sport
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — high quality
  16. rest — what's left
  17. can — to be able to
  18. cue — a hint
  19. squash — to crush
  20. can — a tin
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. can — a tin
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — size or range

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