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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.

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: pitcher · content · rash · hide · drill · perch · mug · current

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mug — to rob
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. current — happening now
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. current — of water
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mug — a cup
  12. drill — the tool
  13. rash — a series
  14. drill — a practice
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. mug — a face
  19. rash — hasty
  20. content — the amount
  21. current — electric
  22. drill — army training
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. content — happy

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