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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. can — to be able to
  3. perch — the fish
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pit — a hole
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. can — a tin
  9. current — electric
  10. can — a tin
  11. pit — in a race
  12. current — of water
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bound — certain
  15. current — happening now
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bound — tied together
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rash — a series
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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