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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. firm — decided
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. drill — a practice
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. firm — a company
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. drill — army training
  12. perch — the fish
  13. suit — in cards
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. suit — clothes
  16. firm — steady
  17. suit — to fit
  18. calf — of the leg

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