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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cue — a hint
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bank — for money
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to bend
  9. clip — for paper
  10. bank — for money
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. cue — for pool
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bank — of a river
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. clip — to cut
  24. clip — a video

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