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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. suit — to fit
  3. perch — the fish
  4. pound — a weight
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — wild animals
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. row — to paddle
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stock — shares
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. game — a match
  17. stock — goods
  18. bulb — for light
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cue — a hint
  21. row — a line
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cue — for pool
  24. stock — a soup base

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