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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: track · rash · pit · swing · cue · bay · scale · bear

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. track — a path
  13. rash — a series
  14. scale — size or range
  15. track — a song
  16. pit — in a race
  17. track — to keep track
  18. swing — to play on
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — in golf

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