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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a signal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. shower — rain
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. pit — in a race
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bank — of a river
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. mark — a grade
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. shower — to wash
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bank — for money
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. mark — a trace
  18. pit — a hole
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. toast — bread
  22. bank — for money
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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