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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 · object · rush · bore · mouse · capital · cue · ball

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. capital — money
  5. bore — to drill
  6. cue — a hint
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — an aim
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. bore — to tire
  12. object — to protest
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. capital — a city
  16. cue — for pool
  17. rush — hurry
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. ball — a great time
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ball — a dance
  24. cue — a signal

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