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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. lean — thin
  8. cell — in biology
  9. perch — the fish
  10. lean — to bend
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. track — a song
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. track — a path
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. track — to keep track
  22. deal — to handle
  23. cell — a phone
  24. safe — a strongbox

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