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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. pop — soda
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. board — a committee
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. perch — the fish
  9. mug — a cup
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. pop — to visit
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pop — music
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. mug — to rob
  18. board — to get on
  19. mug — a face
  20. dip — to sink
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. dip — a sauce

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