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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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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: bank · cue · perch · game · present · deal · pass · pound

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. cue — a hint
  3. game — a match
  4. bank — for money
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. deal — to handle
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. present — a gift
  10. cue — for pool
  11. pound — a weight
  12. present — the time now
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bank — for money
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bank — of a river
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. cue — a signal
  24. present — there

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