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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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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: perch · cue · suit · foot · stem · lean · spell · game

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. foot — a measure
  3. perch — the fish
  4. game — a match
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. spell — magic
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. lean — to bend
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. suit — in cards
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. spell — letters
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cue — for pool
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. game — wild animals
  18. lean — thin
  19. cue — a signal
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. spell — a short time
  23. stem — to come from
  24. cue — a hint

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