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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 120 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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. staff — employees
  6. perch — the fish
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. tube — the underground
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. staff — employees
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. land — a country
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. land — to come down
  22. tube — a container
  23. staff — a stick
  24. mouse — the animal

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