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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.

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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. snap — to click
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. capital — a city
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. perch — the fish
  17. capital — money
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. can — to be able to
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. hide — to keep secret

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