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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 116 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. root — of a plant
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cue — a hint
  7. root — the cause
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. mug — a cup
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. root — of a word
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mate — a partner
  22. cue — for pool
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. mug — a face

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