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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. perch — the fish
  3. cue — a signal
  4. can — to be able to
  5. root — of a word
  6. spring — the season
  7. can — a tin
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. net — for catching
  10. root — of a plant
  11. spring — a coil
  12. root — the cause
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. cue — for pool
  15. net — after costs
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. spring — of water
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. net — in sport
  24. perch — for a bird

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