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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. perch — the fish
  3. club — for dancing
  4. drill — the tool
  5. drill — army training
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — the fruit
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. club — for golf
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. drill — a practice
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ball — a great time
  15. charge — electricity
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ball — a dance
  18. charge — a price
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. club — a group
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. charge — in control
  24. mouse — the animal

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