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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. perch — the fish
  4. march — music
  5. pit — a hole
  6. march — the month
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — to crush
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rash — a series
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rash — hasty
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. cue — a hint
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. march — the month
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pit — in a race
  21. cue — for pool
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rush — to hurry

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