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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
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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: mark · staff · cue · perch · pop · race · bound · mate

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. pop — soda
  3. mate — a friend
  4. race — the arms race
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bound — obliged
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bound — tied together
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. race — a contest
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bound — certain
  16. pop — to visit
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. cue — a signal
  20. mark — a grade
  21. pop — music
  22. staff — employees
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — the fish

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