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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. net — after costs
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. club — for dancing
  5. net — for catching
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. press — a publisher
  9. cue — for pool
  10. club — a group
  11. current — of water
  12. cue — a signal
  13. current — happening now
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. press — newspapers
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. press — to push
  21. club — for golf
  22. current — electric
  23. net — in sport
  24. cue — a hint

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