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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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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 · lean · pound · stick · racket · rash · scale · mine

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. lean — to bend
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — a series
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. scale — size or range
  8. mine — for digging
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. scale — in music
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. cue — a hint
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. lean — thin
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. cue — for pool
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cue — a signal

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