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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rock — a stone
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. perch — the fish
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. rock — music
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pitcher — a jug

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