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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 116 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. mug — a cup
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bulb — for light
  7. current — electric
  8. current — happening now
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. key — the most important part
  11. hand — in cards
  12. current — of water
  13. key — in music
  14. hand — help
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. mug — a face
  17. last — finally
  18. bulb — for light
  19. perch — the fish
  20. key — for a lock
  21. last — to go on
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. dip — to sink
  24. last — final

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