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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. game — wild animals
  5. cue — for pool
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fork — in a road
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. cue — a signal
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. lie — to recline
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. dip — to sink
  18. cue — a hint
  19. present — a gift
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. present — there
  22. present — the time now
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. game — a match

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