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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. present — a gift
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. cue — a signal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. craft — a skill
  12. track — to keep track
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. present — the time now
  17. perch — the fish
  18. craft — boats
  19. present — there
  20. track — a song
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. track — a path
  23. cue — a hint
  24. craft — a handicraft

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