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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.

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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: firm · mouse · cue · perch · saw · band · dip · lean

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. band — a music group
  4. saw — the tool
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. firm — decided
  11. lean — thin
  12. cue — a signal
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — a company
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. perch — the fish
  17. band — a ring
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. lean — to bend
  22. dip — to sink
  23. cue — a hint
  24. dip — to dunk

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