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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cue — a signal
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rash — a series
  6. cue — for pool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. present — a gift
  10. cue — a hint
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. lean — to bend
  13. perch — the fish
  14. deal — to handle
  15. rule — government
  16. present — there
  17. lean — thin
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. present — the time now
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rule — a law

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