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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. ground — crushed
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. ground — the earth
  5. current — happening now
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. tube — the underground
  9. current — of water
  10. wake — a trail
  11. current — electric
  12. saw — the tool
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. perch — the fish
  16. tube — a container
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — all right
  19. ground — a position
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. deal — to handle
  22. fine — high quality
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. saw — the tool

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