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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. pitch — completely
  6. race — the arms race
  7. craft — a skill
  8. race — a contest
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. cue — for pool
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. fork — in a road
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. perch — the fish
  22. cue — a signal
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. race — humankind

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