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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 116 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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  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. straw — a straw man
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mate — to breed
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. object — to protest
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fork — in a road
  13. mate — a partner
  14. perch — the fish
  15. mate — a friend
  16. prune — to trim
  17. object — an aim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. straw — dry grass
  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