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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 116 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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. cue — a hint
  3. season — in sport
  4. can — a tin
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cap — of ice
  9. press — a publisher
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. season — of the year
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. pitch — completely
  15. cue — a signal
  16. can — to be able to
  17. press — newspapers
  18. cell — a phone
  19. cap — a hat
  20. can — a tin
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cue — for pool
  24. press — to push

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