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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 120 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: season · perch · bay · fan · cold · cue · mark · lie

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cold — not warm
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. cue — a signal
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. cold — an illness
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. season — in sport
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. cue — a hint
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. perch — the fish
  22. mark — a grade
  23. lie — to recline
  24. season — of the year

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