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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.

Make a worksheet

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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. saw — the tool
  5. perch — the fish
  6. mug — to rob
  7. file — a document
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — in music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the fish
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. firm — decided
  16. mug — a face
  17. firm — steady
  18. mug — a cup
  19. saw — the tool
  20. file — a tool
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. kick — in football
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. file — a line of people

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