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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 120 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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. ground — a position
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. saw — the tool
  5. perch — the fish
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. ground — crushed
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. court — of a king
  10. mug — to rob
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mug — a face
  13. bore — to drill
  14. ground — the earth
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. rest — a break
  19. court — of law
  20. rest — what's left
  21. saw — the tool
  22. court — for sport
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rest — what's left

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