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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. can — to be able to
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. spell — a short time
  6. firm — a company
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. kid — to tease
  9. kid — child
  10. can — a tin
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pitch — completely
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. firm — decided
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. spell — letters
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. can — a tin
  22. firm — steady
  23. spell — magic
  24. safe — a strongbox

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