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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rock — a stone
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. snap — to click
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. ground — crushed
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rock — music
  12. rule — government
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. cue — a signal
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — a position
  18. cue — a hint
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. perch — the fish
  21. cue — for pool
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. date — the fruit
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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