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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · club · cue · temple · staff · scale · toast · fall

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. club — for golf
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. cue — for pool
  5. toast — bread
  6. scale — in music
  7. fall — to drop
  8. club — for dancing
  9. club — a group
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. fall — to drop
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. cue — a signal
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fall — the season
  18. scale — size or range
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. cue — a hint
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — the most admired

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