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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. kick — in football
  3. stem — to come from
  4. cue — for pool
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bound — tied together
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. cue — a signal
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bound — obliged
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. cue — a hint
  15. toast — bread
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. wake — a trail
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. bound — certain
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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