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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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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: last · can · fork · mouse · fall · cue · bass · perch

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. can — a tin
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. fall — the season
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bass — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. cue — a signal
  11. last — final
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bass — low music
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. last — finally
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — for pool
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fork — in a road
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. perch — the fish
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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