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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.

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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. kick — in football
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. toast — bread
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. perch — the fish
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. toast — the most admired

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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