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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. squash — to crush
  3. cue — a hint
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. row — to paddle
  6. perch — the fish
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cue — for pool
  14. snap — to click
  15. cue — a signal
  16. pop — to visit
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pop — soda
  20. row — a line
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. squash — the sport
  24. pop — music

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