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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. clip — for paper
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cap — a lid
  8. deal — to handle
  9. cap — of ice
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bear — the animal
  12. clip — a video
  13. track — to keep track
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cue — for pool
  17. track — a song
  18. suit — to fit
  19. track — a path
  20. cue — a signal
  21. suit — clothes
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. clip — to cut
  24. perch — for a bird

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