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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: scale · row · last · net · tube · bear · cue · pass

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. scale — size or range
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. net — in sport
  5. scale — in music
  6. last — final
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. row — a line
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. pass — a permit
  12. last — finally
  13. tube — the underground
  14. net — for catching
  15. last — to go on
  16. cue — a hint
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. row — to paddle
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. tube — a container
  21. cue — a signal
  22. net — after costs
  23. bear — the animal
  24. row — a quarrel

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