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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. craft — a skill
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. craft — boats
  6. game — a match
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. root — of a plant
  9. mug — a face
  10. mug — a cup
  11. track — a song
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. track — a path
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. game — wild animals
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. root — of a word
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. mug — to rob
  22. track — to keep track
  23. root — the cause
  24. perch — for a bird

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