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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. present — the time now
  4. bound — obliged
  5. present — a gift
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. land — a country
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bound — tied together
  10. land — ground
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. land — to come down
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bound — certain
  16. present — there
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. perch — the fish

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