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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. net — after costs
  3. cue — a hint
  4. perch — the fish
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. ball — a great time
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. cap — a lid
  19. ball — a dance
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. cue — a signal
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — for catching
  24. pitcher — a jug

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