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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. tube — a container
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. craft — boats
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — to rob
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. cue — a hint
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mug — a face
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. cue — a signal
  22. fork — in a road
  23. tube — the underground
  24. mark — a trace

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