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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: swing · mouse · mug · capital · date · perch · rock · wound

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. wound — an injury
  4. date — the fruit
  5. rock — a stone
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mug — to rob
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. capital — money
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mug — a cup
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — to play on
  14. rock — music
  15. capital — a city
  16. mug — a face
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. swing — music
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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