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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. bear — the animal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a hint
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. present — the time now
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. can — a tin
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. can — to be able to
  13. perch — the fish
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. can — a tin
  16. wind — moving air
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. cue — a signal
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. present — a gift
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. present — there
  24. bear — the animal

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