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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rash — a series
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rash — hasty
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. land — a country
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. drill — the tool
  11. root — of a plant
  12. land — to come down
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. root — of a word
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. mug — a cup
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. drill — a practice
  20. root — the cause
  21. mug — a face
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. drill — army training
  24. land — ground

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