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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. clip — for paper
  9. charge — electricity
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. clip — a video
  12. perch — the fish
  13. charge — in control
  14. clip — to cut
  15. band — a ring
  16. band — a music group
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the sport
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. charge — a price

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