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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: mark · perch · straw · cue · squash · can · roll · court

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. mark — a grade
  3. cue — a hint
  4. roll — a cake
  5. mark — a trace
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. can — a tin
  8. squash — to crush
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. cue — a signal
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. court — of a king
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. court — of law
  16. roll — a list
  17. can — to be able to
  18. court — for sport
  19. cue — for pool
  20. can — a tin
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. squash — the sport

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