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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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 was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — size or range
  4. wake — a trail
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — in a race
  7. scale — in music
  8. can — a tin
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. mug — to rob
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mug — a cup
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mug — a face
  23. sharp — clever
  24. perch — the fish

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