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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. season — in sport
  4. perch — the fish
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. cue — for pool
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. cue — a hint
  12. date — the fruit
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. dip — to sink
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. season — of the year
  19. chair — a leader
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. stand — to bear
  24. perch — for a bird

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