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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cue — a hint
  4. mate — a partner
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. lean — to bend
  7. mate — a friend
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. sharp — clever
  10. cue — a signal
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. board — a committee
  13. cue — for pool
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. kid — to tease
  18. lean — thin
  19. mate — to breed
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. board — to get on
  22. perch — the fish
  23. kid — child
  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