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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 120 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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. can — a tin
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bulb — for light
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bat — the animal
  12. object — an aim
  13. cue — a signal
  14. object — a thing
  15. wake — a trail
  16. cue — a hint
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. board — a committee
  19. can — a tin
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. can — to be able to
  23. object — to protest
  24. perch — the fish

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