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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. perch — the fish
  5. mug — a face
  6. degree — temperature
  7. degree — an amount
  8. mug — to rob
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. squash — to crush
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. degree — from a university
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. squash — the sport
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. mug — a cup

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