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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. perch — the fish
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. object — to protest
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ball — a dance
  10. fork — in a road
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. object — an aim
  21. ball — a great time
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. wound — an injury
  24. object — a thing

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