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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. rash — a series
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rash — hasty
  6. perch — the fish
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. charge — electricity
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. charge — a price
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. charge — in control
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. snap — to click
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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