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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bat — the animal
  3. perch — the fish
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. hand — help
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. cue — for pool
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. mug — to rob
  15. foot — a measure
  16. hand — in cards
  17. cue — a hint
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mug — a face
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. foot — part of the body

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