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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.

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: fall · capital · perch · cue · ball · rash · staff · bowl

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. rash — a series
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ball — a great time
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. capital — money
  10. staff — a stick
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rash — hasty
  14. capital — a city
  15. staff — employees
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. perch — the fish
  19. fall — to drop
  20. staff — employees
  21. cue — a hint
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. fall — the season
  24. cue — for pool

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