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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. cue — a signal
  3. snap — to click
  4. firm — a company
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bark — to shout
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. firm — decided
  14. land — a country
  15. land — to come down
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. land — ground
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — for pool
  23. firm — steady
  24. sharp — with an edge

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