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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: cue · object · fan · degree · perch · tube · bear · bowl

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bear — the animal
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. cue — a signal
  6. degree — an amount
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. tube — a container
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — to protest
  14. bear — the animal
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. cue — for pool
  18. degree — from a university
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. cue — a hint
  24. fan — a supporter

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