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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. file — a tool
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. bound — tied together
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. file — a document
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. toast — bread
  12. season — of the year
  13. season — in sport
  14. bound — certain
  15. file — a line of people
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. mine — for digging
  19. chair — a leader
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. bound — obliged
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. perch — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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