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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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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: pitcher · can · cue · leaves · perch · bound · cap · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. cue — a signal
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bound — obliged
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bound — certain
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. cue — a hint
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. bound — tied together
  16. perch — the fish
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. can — to be able to
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cap — a lid
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cap — a hat
  24. leaves — lets stay

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