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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. rule — government
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. object — a thing
  7. perch — the fish
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. object — an aim
  15. bank — for money
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. cue — a hint
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. object — to protest
  20. bank — for money
  21. rule — a law
  22. bank — of a river
  23. stand — to bear
  24. can — a tin

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