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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. mug — a face
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mug — a cup
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. spell — magic
  13. mug — to rob
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. spell — a short time
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. wound — an injury
  18. dip — to sink
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. spell — letters
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. calf — a young animal

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