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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. key — for a lock
  3. present — there
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. cue — a signal
  6. spell — a short time
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. present — a gift
  10. kick — in football
  11. key — the most important part
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cue — for pool
  14. spell — magic
  15. key — in music
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. mark — a grade
  19. present — the time now
  20. mark — a trace
  21. perch — the fish
  22. cue — a hint
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. spell — letters

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