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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. tear — from crying
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. perch — the fish
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — in sport
  10. tear — to rip
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. tear — from crying
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. chair — a leader

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