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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · mouse · perch · bay · hide · staff · jam · saw

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. saw — the tool
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. perch — the fish
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. staff — a stick
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. hide — animal skin

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