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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. saw — the tool
  5. charge — a price
  6. ball — a dance
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. charge — electricity
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. perch — the fish
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. ball — a great time
  15. saw — the tool
  16. charge — in control
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. can — to be able to
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. chair — a leader
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — to breed
  23. wax — to grow
  24. mate — a partner

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