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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rush — hurry
  5. press — to push
  6. saw — the tool
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — soda
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. press — newspapers
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. press — a publisher
  18. pop — to visit
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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