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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. pop — soda
  3. perch — the fish
  4. cue — a hint
  5. track — a song
  6. can — a tin
  7. track — a path
  8. track — to keep track
  9. wake — a trail
  10. present — a gift
  11. pop — music
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. can — a tin
  16. cue — a signal
  17. pop — to visit
  18. spell — letters
  19. present — there
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. present — the time now
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. can — to be able to
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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