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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. mark — a grade
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. rock — a stone
  5. mark — a trace
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. chip — for betting
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. cue — for pool
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. perch — the fish
  14. cue — a signal
  15. rock — music
  16. spring — a coil
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. chip — to eat
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. spring — the season
  23. cue — a hint
  24. spring — of water

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