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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. cue — for pool
  3. pop — soda
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pop — music
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. ball — a dance
  8. cue — a signal
  9. pop — to visit
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a skill
  14. cue — a hint
  15. perch — the fish
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. ball — a great time
  18. craft — a handicraft

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