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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pitch — completely
  3. ball — a great time
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bound — obliged
  6. mug — a face
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. rock — music
  9. mug — to rob
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bound — certain
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. current — electric
  17. perch — the fish
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bound — tied together
  20. current — happening now
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. saw — the tool
  24. current — of water

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