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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 116 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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  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. cue — a hint
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. can — a tin
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — to rob
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cue — for pool
  10. can — a tin
  11. rock — music
  12. rash — hasty
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. cue — a signal
  16. can — to be able to
  17. mug — a cup
  18. dip — to sink
  19. rock — a stone
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. perch — the fish
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — a series
  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