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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · cap · straw · perch · dip · mouse · rush · capital

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. can — to be able to
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cap — of ice
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. rush — hurry
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. capital — money
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cap — a hat
  16. perch — the fish
  17. can — a tin
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. capital — a city
  23. cap — a lid
  24. can — a tin

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