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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. cue — a signal
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wound — an injury
  5. spring — a coil
  6. cue — for pool
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. spring — of water
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bulb — for light
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. cue — a hint
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bulb — for light
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to bend
  18. spring — the season
  19. mark — a trace
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. perch — the fish
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. hide — to keep secret

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