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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mate — to breed
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. can — a tin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mate — a partner
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. can — to be able to
  14. deal — to handle
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — to rob
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mug — a cup
  20. perch — the fish
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. mate — a friend
  24. can — a tin

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