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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 116 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: suit · mug · cabinet · clip · saw · perch · mine · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a dance
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mine — for digging
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. suit — to fit
  7. clip — a video
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. saw — the tool
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. perch — the fish
  17. clip — for paper
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mug — to rob
  21. clip — to cut
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mug — a face

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