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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.

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: straw · perch · pop · cue · craft · ball · dip · club

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. perch — the fish
  3. club — for dancing
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. cue — a hint
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. cue — for pool
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. craft — boats
  11. pop — soda
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. pop — music
  14. cue — a signal
  15. craft — a skill
  16. pop — to visit
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. club — for golf
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. club — a group
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a great time

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