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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. charge — a price
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. charge — in control
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. scale — size or range
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. perch — the fish
  15. scale — in music
  16. bear — the animal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bear — the animal
  20. season — in sport
  21. charge — electricity
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — a tool

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