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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. ball — a dance
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. cold — not warm
  7. perch — the fish
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stem — to come from
  10. cue — a signal
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. cold — an illness
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fine — all right
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. cue — a hint
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. ball — a great time
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. ruler — a monarch

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