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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: swing · straw · pit · scale · craft · rock · mine · cue

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. rock — a stone
  3. cue — a signal
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. scale — size or range
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. swing — to play on
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. swing — music
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a hole
  14. craft — a skill
  15. rock — music
  16. cue — for pool
  17. craft — boats
  18. mine — for digging
  19. swing — in golf
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. cue — a hint
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — in music
  24. straw — a straw man

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