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

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. wound — an injury
  3. shower — to wash
  4. saw — the tool
  5. shower — rain
  6. saw — the tool
  7. march — the month
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. wound — an injury
  11. cue — a hint
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. season — of the year
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. perch — the fish
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. march — the month
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cue — a signal
  23. march — music
  24. season — in sport

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