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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. snap — to click
  3. fall — the season
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. rush — hurry
  8. cue — for pool
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. can — a tin
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. prune — to trim
  16. can — to be able to
  17. fall — to drop
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. can — a tin
  20. prune — to trim
  21. cue — a signal
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. cue — a hint
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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