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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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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. track — a song
  3. cap — a lid
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. track — a path
  7. perch — the fish
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. can — to be able to
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. board — to get on
  22. cap — a hat
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. board — a committee

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