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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. squash — the sport
  3. rule — government
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. squash — to crush
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. mug — a face
  12. rule — a law
  13. mug — to rob
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. perch — the fish
  20. rock — a stone
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. sharp — clever
  24. perch — for a bird

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