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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mug — a cup
  3. staff — employees
  4. mug — a face
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mug — to rob
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. pitch — completely
  9. staff — a stick
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mine — for digging
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. staff — employees
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. perch — the fish
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. wake — a trail

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