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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: lean · present · perch · racket · cue · suit · bore · prune

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. prune — to trim
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. lean — to bend
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. suit — in cards
  9. perch — the fish
  10. cue — for pool
  11. present — the time now
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. lean — thin
  14. bore — to tire
  15. cue — a hint
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. present — a gift
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. present — there
  24. bore — to drill

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