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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · spring · rule · file · perch · cue

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. file — a document
  3. spring — of water
  4. object — an aim
  5. rule — government
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. object — a thing
  8. file — a tool
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. cue — a signal
  11. object — to protest
  12. cue — a hint
  13. file — a line of people
  14. spring — the season
  15. rule — a law
  16. spring — a coil
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. cue — for pool

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