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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. drill — a practice
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. ground — a position
  5. charge — in control
  6. shower — rain
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — the tool
  9. foot — a measure
  10. mate — a partner
  11. ground — the earth
  12. shower — to wash
  13. mate — to breed
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. charge — electricity
  17. ground — crushed
  18. cue — a hint
  19. charge — a price
  20. cue — a signal
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. perch — the fish
  23. cue — for pool
  24. mate — a friend

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