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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. lean — to bend
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. cue — for pool
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. cue — a signal
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. pitch — completely
  13. suit — to fit
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. dip — to sink
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the sport
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cue — a hint
  23. perch — the fish
  24. lean — to rest against

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