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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. club — for dancing
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. club — a group
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. club — for golf
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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