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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. game — wild animals
  5. deal — to handle
  6. suit — clothes
  7. mug — a cup
  8. pass — a permit
  9. mug — a face
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. scale — in music
  14. bore — to drill
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. game — a match
  21. bore — to tire
  22. mug — to rob
  23. scale — size or range
  24. perch — for a bird

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