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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 116 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: perch · game · patient · cue · chip · safe · last · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  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. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. last — to go on
  6. cue — for pool
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. game — wild animals
  10. game — a match
  11. last — final
  12. cue — a signal
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. perch — the fish
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. last — finally
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. chip — to eat
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — for betting
  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