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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. cue — for pool
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. chair — a leader
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. cue — a signal
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. cue — a hint
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. prune — to trim
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. prune — to trim
  24. chair — to sit on

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