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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. saw — the tool
  7. cap — of ice
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. saw — the tool
  12. cap — a lid
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — hasty
  15. mate — a partner
  16. cap — a hat
  17. rash — a series
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. perch — the fish
  21. mate — a friend
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. perch — for a bird

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