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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pit — in a race
  3. perch — the fish
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bound — tied together
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — in music
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bound — certain
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bound — obliged
  24. pit — a hole

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