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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. drill — a practice
  4. wax — to grow
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. perch — the fish
  8. drill — the tool
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. drill — army training
  15. mug — to rob
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. mug — a face
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bark — to shout
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. chip — for betting

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