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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — a practice
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. toast — bread
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to click
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. current — happening now
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. current — of water
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. court — of a king
  18. court — of law
  19. rock — a stone
  20. court — for sport
  21. current — electric
  22. perch — the fish
  23. rock — music
  24. sharp — clever

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