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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.

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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: mouse · cue · firm · row · bark · root · cell · perch

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  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. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — a phone
  3. root — the cause
  4. row — a line
  5. firm — decided
  6. cue — a hint
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. firm — steady
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bark — to shout
  15. root — of a word
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cell — in biology
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. root — of a plant
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. row — to paddle
  22. cue — a signal
  23. firm — a company
  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