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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. squash — to crush
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — happy
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — for dancing
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. content — the amount
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. cue — for pool
  15. club — a group
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. perch — the fish
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cue — a hint
  20. squash — the sport
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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