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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. perch — the fish
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. cue — for pool
  7. present — a gift
  8. board — a committee
  9. cue — a hint
  10. present — there
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. cue — a signal
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — a price
  20. present — the time now
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. hand — in cards
  24. board — to get on

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