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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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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: rest · bear · present · mine · wound · mug · perch · stick

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. mug — to rob
  3. wound — an injury
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mug — a cup
  6. present — a gift
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. rest — a break
  12. present — there
  13. mine — for digging
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rest — what's left
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mug — a face
  24. rest — what's left

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