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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. drill — a practice
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rush — hurry
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. foot — a measure
  17. toast — bread
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. rest — a break
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. drill — army training
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rush — to hurry

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