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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rest — what's left
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a face
  9. perch — the fish
  10. tube — a container
  11. mug — a cup
  12. rest — what's left
  13. charge — a price
  14. tube — the underground
  15. can — a tin
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. charge — in control
  19. swing — music
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rest — a break
  22. can — to be able to
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — to play on

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