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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cold — not warm
  4. cue — a hint
  5. firm — steady
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. toast — bread
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cold — an illness
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. suit — in cards
  17. perch — the fish
  18. suit — to fit
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. firm — decided
  23. cue — for pool
  24. lash — an eyelash

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