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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.

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: stand · perch · bat · chip · last · cue · mug · saw

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. mug — a face
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. last — to go on
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. last — final
  9. chip — for betting
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. last — finally
  13. mug — to rob
  14. stand — to bear
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — for pool
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bat — the animal
  21. saw — the tool
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cue — a signal
  24. saw — the tool

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