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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.

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
468
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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. file — a document
  4. ball — a great time
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. file — a tool
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bound — obliged
  14. can — a tin
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. mine — for digging
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bound — certain
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. file — a line of people
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bound — tied together

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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