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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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468
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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rest — what's left
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. perch — the fish
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rest — what's left
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. prune — to trim
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. cue — a hint
  16. prune — to trim
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rest — a break
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. cue — for pool
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. prune — the fruit

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