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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. content — the amount
  4. perch — the fish
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. mark — a trace
  7. roll — a cake
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. content — happy
  15. rest — a break
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. mark — a grade
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. fine — high quality
  20. rest — what's left
  21. roll — a list
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — all right
  24. mark — to pay attention

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