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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. current — happening now
  3. perch — the fish
  4. current — electric
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pass — a permit
  7. mark — a trace
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. current — of water
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mug — a face
  12. mark — a grade
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. mug — a cup
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. mark — to pay attention

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