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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. spring — of water
  3. spring — a coil
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bore — to drill
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. lie — to recline
  12. spring — the season
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bore — to tire
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. perch — the fish

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