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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 was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. object — an aim
  5. firm — decided
  6. bark — to shout
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. firm — steady
  10. date — the fruit
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. object — to protest
  14. drill — the tool
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. firm — a company
  17. object — a thing
  18. drill — army training
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. date — on the calendar

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