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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. saw — the tool
  7. ball — a dance
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. ball — a great time
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. staff — employees
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. cap — of ice
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — a stick
  18. cap — a hat
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cap — a lid

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