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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. mug — to rob
  3. can — a tin
  4. cap — a lid
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. row — a line
  8. bass — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. row — to paddle
  11. cap — a hat
  12. can — to be able to
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. perch — the fish
  15. dip — to sink
  16. cap — of ice
  17. mug — a face
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. mug — a cup
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. can — a tin
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. row — a quarrel

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