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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 116 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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a signal
  3. mine — for digging
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. track — a song
  7. track — a path
  8. charge — in control
  9. bear — the animal
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. track — to keep track
  13. cue — a hint
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. charge — a price
  22. perch — the fish
  23. scale — in music
  24. charge — electricity

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