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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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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: lash · perch · bear · bowl · squash · rule · cap · cue

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rule — a law
  4. squash — to crush
  5. cue — a signal
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. cap — of ice
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bear — the animal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. squash — the sport
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. rule — government
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bowl — a dish

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