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

Word bank: snap · rule · scale · bay · racket · foot · wave · mouse

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. scale — size or range
  3. rule — government
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. foot — a measure
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. snap — to click
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. scale — in music
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a horse colour

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