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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 124 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: perch · pop · mate · game · stick · kid · suit · rule

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. perch — the fish
  4. mate — a partner
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. mate — a friend
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rule — government
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. mate — to breed
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rule — a law
  15. game — a match
  16. pop — to visit
  17. game — wild animals
  18. suit — clothes
  19. pop — music
  20. kid — to tease
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. kid — child
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pop — soda

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