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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lean · straw · pass · racket · spell · perch · deal · mouse

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — magic
  11. pass — a permit
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. spell — letters
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. lean — to bend
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. perch — the fish
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. lean — thin
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. deal — to handle
  24. pass — to succeed

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