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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. suit — clothes
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. dip — to sink
  11. suit — to fit
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. suit — in cards
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. racket — for tennis

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