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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.

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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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Word bank
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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. spell — letters
  4. pit — in a race
  5. rash — a series
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bear — the animal
  11. spell — a short time
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. spell — magic
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pit — a hole
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. perch — the fish
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. staff — a stick
  22. rash — hasty
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — employees

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