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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 · swing · march · can · cue · spring · nail · leaves

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. swing — music
  4. cue — a hint
  5. swing — in golf
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. march — the month
  8. perch — the fish
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. cue — a signal
  11. spring — the season
  12. swing — to play on
  13. march — music
  14. can — a tin
  15. cue — for pool
  16. can — a tin
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spring — of water
  21. can — to be able to
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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