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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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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. fall — to drop
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mug — to rob
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. fall — the season
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a path
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mug — a face
  16. track — a song
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. cold — an illness
  22. cold — not warm
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. mug — a cup

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