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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. perch — the fish
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a cup
  6. pit — in a race
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. cue — for pool
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — in cards
  13. firm — a company
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. firm — steady
  17. cue — a signal
  18. mug — a face
  19. cue — a hint
  20. firm — decided
  21. pit — a hole
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. kid — to tease

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