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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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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: rule · firm · cue · race · perch · bore · deal · can

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. cue — a signal
  3. firm — steady
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bore — to tire
  6. perch — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. can — to be able to
  10. bore — to drill
  11. cue — for pool
  12. rule — a law
  13. cue — a hint
  14. race — humankind
  15. can — a tin
  16. race — a contest
  17. firm — a company
  18. deal — to handle
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. race — the arms race
  21. firm — decided
  22. can — a tin
  23. rule — government
  24. bore — gave birth

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