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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. fork — in a road
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. present — the time now
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. present — a gift
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. can — a tin
  18. capital — money
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. perch — the fish
  22. present — there
  23. capital — a city
  24. capital — a big letter

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