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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: lie · perch · march · sharp · cue · board · ball · fan

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. ball — a great time
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cue — a hint
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — to get on
  8. perch — the fish
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. cue — for pool
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. march — music
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ball — a dance
  15. march — the month
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cue — a signal
  20. lie — to recline
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. march — the month
  24. perch — for a bird

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