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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a signal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. roll — a list
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. march — the month
  9. squash — the sport
  10. present — the time now
  11. squash — to crush
  12. march — the month
  13. present — there
  14. march — music
  15. present — a gift
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. perch — the fish
  18. roll — a cake
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. cue — a hint
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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