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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 120 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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. present — the time now
  3. foot — a measure
  4. march — the month
  5. cue — a signal
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. cue — for pool
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. cap — a lid
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — in sport
  13. present — there
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rush — hurry
  16. cap — of ice
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. cue — a hint
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. march — the month
  21. cap — a hat
  22. present — a gift
  23. march — music
  24. perch — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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