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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 120 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. rule — a law
  6. fall — to drop
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a friend
  9. perch — the fish
  10. mate — a partner
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — a signal
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. fall — the season
  21. cue — for pool
  22. rule — government
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. arm — part of the body

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