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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: cue · perch · roll · bore · land · calf · suit · mark

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  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. suit — to fit
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — a trace
  4. roll — a list
  5. land — ground
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. suit — clothes
  8. perch — the fish
  9. land — a country
  10. cue — for pool
  11. land — to come down
  12. bore — to drill
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. roll — a cake
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. roll — on a roll
  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