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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: game · cue · perch · track · firm · cap · swing · fine

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. game — wild animals
  4. swing — music
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. swing — in golf
  8. perch — the fish
  9. cap — a hat
  10. firm — a company
  11. cue — a signal
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. cue — a hint
  14. track — a path
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. firm — steady
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a song
  20. game — a match
  21. swing — to play on
  22. fine — high quality
  23. firm — decided
  24. perch — for a bird

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