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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 116 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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. spring — a coil
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. staff — employees
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. spring — the season
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mug — a cup
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. staff — employees
  14. mug — to rob
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bark — to shout
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mug — a face
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. spring — of water
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. perch — the fish

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