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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. field — for sport
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wind — moving air
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. perch — the fish
  7. wind — moving air
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. object — a thing
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. mark — a grade
  19. object — an aim
  20. field — farmland
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. field — a subject
  23. object — to protest
  24. cue — a signal

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