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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pop — to visit
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. pop — music
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. pop — soda
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. pound — a weight
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. perch — the fish
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. perch — for a bird

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