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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 116 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. drill — a practice
  3. saw — the tool
  4. perch — the fish
  5. ball — a dance
  6. charge — in control
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. drill — the tool
  10. scale — in music
  11. saw — the tool
  12. drill — army training
  13. mug — a cup
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mug — to rob
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. charge — electricity
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. rest — a break
  20. charge — a price
  21. mug — a face
  22. scale — size or range
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. ball — a great time

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