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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bound — tied together
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. perch — the fish
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cue — for pool
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. mine — for digging
  11. cue — a hint
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — certain
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — in music
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — a container
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. snap — to click
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. tube — the underground
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. safe — out of danger

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