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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 120 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pass — a permit
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. present — there
  5. rash — hasty
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. cue — a hint
  8. face — part of the head
  9. rash — a series
  10. face — to point toward
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. cue — a signal
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. face — to confront
  17. pit — a hole
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — the time now
  20. cue — for pool
  21. perch — the fish
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pit — in a race
  24. perch — for a bird

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