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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.

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: can · perch · game · fine · lean · cue · board · pitcher

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. cue — for pool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. board — to get on
  5. cue — a hint
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. game — wild animals
  9. fine — all right
  10. board — a committee
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. lean — to bend
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. fine — high quality
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. can — a tin
  18. game — a match
  19. can — a tin
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lean — thin
  22. cue — a signal
  23. perch — the fish
  24. lean — to rest against

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