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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. roll — a list
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. hand — in cards
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. press — to push
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. scale — in music
  10. cap — a hat
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — a publisher
  14. mug — a face
  15. cap — a lid
  16. mug — a cup
  17. hand — help
  18. roll — a cake
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — the underground
  21. perch — the fish
  22. cap — of ice
  23. mug — to rob
  24. tube — a container

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