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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. cue — for pool
  3. branch — a division
  4. cue — a signal
  5. perch — the fish
  6. file — a tool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. chip — for betting
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pound — a weight
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. file — a document
  15. chip — to eat
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. suit — to fit
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. suit — in cards
  20. file — a line of people
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. lie — to recline
  23. suit — clothes
  24. branch — of a bank

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