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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. perch — the fish
  5. staff — employees
  6. press — a publisher
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. staff — a stick
  9. wound — an injury
  10. board — a committee
  11. wound — an injury
  12. cue — a signal
  13. press — to push
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. press — newspapers
  18. staff — employees
  19. board — to get on
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. cue — a hint
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. kick — in football

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