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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: hide · clip · cue · deal · object · row · perch · ball

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. cue — for pool
  3. object — an aim
  4. clip — a video
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. cue — a signal
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. perch — the fish
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. row — a line
  12. clip — to cut
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. deal — to handle
  17. ball — a great time
  18. object — a thing
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. object — to protest
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. ball — a dance
  24. cue — a hint

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