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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. cue — a hint
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. fork — in a road
  10. perch — the fish
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. cue — for pool
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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