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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: perch · saw · present · mug · wake · deal · court · rush

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mug — to rob
  4. present — there
  5. court — of a king
  6. perch — the fish
  7. present — the time now
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. present — a gift
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. court — of law
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. deal — to handle
  19. court — for sport
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. mug — a cup
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. rush — hurry

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