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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. drill — the tool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. mug — to rob
  5. suit — in cards
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mug — a face
  14. suit — to fit
  15. drill — army training
  16. lie — to recline
  17. drill — a practice
  18. cue — a signal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mug — a cup
  21. cue — for pool
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a tree

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