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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. charge — a price
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mark — a grade
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. charge — in control
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. court — for sport
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. charge — electricity
  14. mark — a trace
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. file — a document
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. court — of law
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. perch — the fish
  21. file — a tool
  22. court — of a king
  23. file — a line of people
  24. mouse — the animal

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