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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 · land · cap · can · cue · stick · firm · mate

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. mate — a partner
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. can — a tin
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cue — a hint
  7. firm — a company
  8. cap — of ice
  9. firm — decided
  10. land — a country
  11. can — a tin
  12. cue — a signal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cue — for pool
  15. firm — steady
  16. land — to come down
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mate — to breed
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. land — ground
  21. can — to be able to
  22. cap — a lid
  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