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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. bulb — for light
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. lie — to recline
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — moving air
  11. perch — the fish
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bulb — for light
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. straw — dry grass

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