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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a signal
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. perch — the fish
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to point toward
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. wind — moving air
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. snap — to click
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. face — to confront
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bark — to shout

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