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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: perch · wake · lean · cue · can · tube · firm · race

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lean — to bend
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. firm — decided
  9. race — a contest
  10. perch — the fish
  11. can — a tin
  12. tube — a container
  13. cue — for pool
  14. firm — steady
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. race — humankind
  18. race — the arms race
  19. can — to be able to
  20. wake — a trail
  21. lean — thin
  22. cue — a signal
  23. firm — a company
  24. cue — a hint

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