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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cap — a hat
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. perch — the fish
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. scale — in music
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. suit — to fit
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. scale — size or range
  19. prune — to trim
  20. squash — the sport
  21. dip — to sink
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a lid
  24. squash — to crush

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