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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 116 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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. land — to come down
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. perch — the fish
  5. stand — to bear
  6. mug — a face
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. rock — music
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wind — moving air
  14. land — ground
  15. wind — moving air
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. rock — a stone
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. land — a country
  23. mug — to rob
  24. stand — for spectators

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