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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. last — finally
  3. charge — in control
  4. pop — to visit
  5. charge — electricity
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — letters
  10. rock — music
  11. pop — music
  12. perch — the fish
  13. last — to go on
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pop — soda
  20. last — final
  21. charge — a price
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. rock — a stone

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