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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: land · perch · bay · mouse · bound · pop · cue · wave

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. cue — for pool
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. land — a country
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bound — tied together
  8. land — to come down
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cue — a signal
  13. pop — music
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. perch — the fish
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bound — certain
  20. pop — soda
  21. land — ground
  22. bound — obliged
  23. pop — to visit
  24. mouse — the animal

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