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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  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. perch — the fish
  2. board — to get on
  3. rule — a law
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. tube — the underground
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. vault — a safe
  9. tube — a container
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — government
  17. board — a committee
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. cue — a hint
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. kick — with a leg
  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