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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. hand — help
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. toast — bread
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. key — the most important part
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. ground — a position
  9. hand — in cards
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. snap — to click
  12. perch — the fish
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ground — the earth
  15. suit — to fit
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. suit — clothes
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. suit — in cards
  21. ground — crushed
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. key — for a lock
  24. toast — the most admired

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