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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. game — a match
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. game — wild animals
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. club — for golf
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. perch — the fish
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. club — for dancing
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bass — the fish
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. club — a group
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. ruler — for measuring

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