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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: mug · press · rest · craft · jam · perch · drill · cue

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. press — to push
  3. cue — a signal
  4. mug — a face
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mug — to rob
  8. rest — a break
  9. drill — a practice
  10. rest — what's left
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. drill — the tool
  13. cue — a hint
  14. perch — the fish
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. mug — a cup
  17. press — a publisher
  18. drill — army training
  19. craft — boats
  20. rest — what's left
  21. press — newspapers
  22. craft — a skill
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. jam — a tight spot

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