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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. cue — for pool
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. shower — rain
  5. board — a committee
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. board — to get on
  8. shower — to wash
  9. club — a group
  10. cue — a hint
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. firm — a company
  13. cue — a signal
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. firm — steady
  16. net — for catching
  17. net — after costs
  18. perch — the fish
  19. firm — decided
  20. club — for golf
  21. net — in sport
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. club — for dancing
  24. foot — the bottom

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