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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: row · pop · firm · suit · net · cue · tear · perch

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. firm — decided
  3. pop — soda
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pop — music
  6. cue — a signal
  7. tear — to rip
  8. pop — to visit
  9. firm — a company
  10. net — for catching
  11. suit — to fit
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. suit — in cards
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. net — after costs
  17. tear — from crying
  18. row — to paddle
  19. tear — from crying
  20. perch — the fish
  21. row — a line
  22. cue — a hint
  23. suit — clothes
  24. firm — steady

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