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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. present — a gift
  4. bass — the fish
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. ball — a dance
  9. mug — to rob
  10. row — a line
  11. present — there
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. game — a match
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. game — wild animals
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. ball — a great time
  18. present — the time now
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bass — low music
  21. mug — a face
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. row — to paddle
  24. row — a quarrel

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