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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.

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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. chip — to eat
  3. perch — the fish
  4. ground — crushed
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. ground — a position
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. cue — a hint
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. ground — the earth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. calf — a young animal

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