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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. staff — a stick
  4. perch — the fish
  5. mug — a face
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. band — a music group
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mate — to breed
  10. hand — in cards
  11. band — a ring
  12. mate — a partner
  13. staff — employees
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. mate — a friend
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. staff — employees
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mug — a cup
  24. hand — help

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