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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. face — to point toward
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. face — part of the head
  7. band — a music group
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bear — the animal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. face — to confront
  13. can — a tin
  14. band — a ring
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bear — the animal
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. scale — in music
  23. perch — the fish
  24. cabinet — ministers

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