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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 120 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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fine — high quality
  6. rule — government
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. perch — the fish
  10. fine — all right
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. rule — a law
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bulb — for light

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