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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 120 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ground — a position
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. plane — a tool
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. perch — the fish
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. ground — crushed
  22. snap — to click
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. ground — the earth

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