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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 124 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. cue — a hint
  3. pop — soda
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. cue — for pool
  6. root — of a word
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pop — music
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. pop — to visit
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — in cards
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. root — of a plant
  19. object — an aim
  20. cue — a signal
  21. object — a thing
  22. root — the cause
  23. perch — the fish
  24. stand — to bear

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