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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. object — a thing
  3. cue — a hint
  4. key — the most important part
  5. object — an aim
  6. suit — clothes
  7. object — to protest
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. branch — a division
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. cue — for pool
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. key — for a lock
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. suit — to fit
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pound — a weight
  22. suit — in cards
  23. cue — a signal
  24. key — in music

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