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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: content · foot · roll · present · date · rock · cue · scale

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. date — the fruit
  3. present — there
  4. roll — a list
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. scale — size or range
  7. roll — a cake
  8. rock — a stone
  9. foot — a measure
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. cue — for pool
  12. present — the time now
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. cue — a signal
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. cue — a hint
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. present — a gift
  21. scale — in music
  22. content — happy
  23. content — the amount
  24. foot — part of the body

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