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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. key — for a lock
  4. present — the time now
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. drill — army training
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. present — a gift
  14. drill — the tool
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. present — there
  17. key — in music
  18. drill — a practice
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. key — the most important part
  24. perch — for a bird

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