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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mug — a face
  5. season — of the year
  6. mug — a cup
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. staff — employees
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. saw — the tool
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. staff — employees
  16. foot — a measure
  17. staff — a stick
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. saw — the tool
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. season — in sport
  22. lie — to recline
  23. kid — to tease
  24. mug — to rob

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