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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. perch — the fish
  3. clip — a video
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. mate — a partner
  6. cue — for pool
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. clip — to cut
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. can — a tin
  16. prune — to trim
  17. can — to be able to
  18. mate — to breed
  19. clip — for paper
  20. prune — to trim
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mate — a friend
  23. can — a tin
  24. cue — a signal

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