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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 120 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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. fall — to drop
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. march — the month
  7. fall — the season
  8. foot — a measure
  9. mine — for digging
  10. squash — to crush
  11. squash — the sport
  12. cue — for pool
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. march — music
  15. fine — all right
  16. fall — to drop
  17. cue — a hint
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. fine — high quality
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. cue — a signal
  24. perch — the fish

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