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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: pit · fan · bank · cue · ruler · nail · perch · game

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. cue — a hint
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. game — wild animals
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bank — for money
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. game — a match
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pit — in a race
  20. cue — a signal
  21. pit — a hole
  22. cue — for pool
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. perch — the fish

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