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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: cue · object · perch · last · wound · pop · spring · pit

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. last — to go on
  3. last — final
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pop — soda
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pit — in a race
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. spring — the season
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wound — an injury
  13. spring — a coil
  14. pit — a hole
  15. spring — of water
  16. cue — a hint
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. wound — an injury
  20. last — finally
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pop — to visit
  23. cue — a signal
  24. object — an aim

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