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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 120 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. object — an aim
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. perch — the fish
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. staff — a stick
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. staff — employees
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. object — a thing
  15. rush — hurry
  16. staff — employees
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. row — to paddle
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. object — to protest
  22. row — a line
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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