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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. object — a thing
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. object — an aim
  8. dip — to sink
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. date — the fruit
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. perch — the fish
  14. rush — hurry
  15. object — to protest
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. root — of a plant
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. root — of a word
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. root — the cause
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. toast — bread

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