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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. face — to confront
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. face — to point toward
  10. bear — the animal
  11. charge — a price
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. charge — in control
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. face — part of the head
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. fork — in a road
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wind — moving air
  23. perch — the fish
  24. charge — electricity

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