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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. perch — the fish
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. board — to get on
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. board — a committee
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. ball — a great time
  16. dip — to sink
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. fork — in a road
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. ball — a dance
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. dip — a sauce

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