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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bore — to drill
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. drill — a practice
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bore — to tire
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. drill — army training
  14. drill — the tool
  15. scale — size or range
  16. game — wild animals
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. game — a match
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. perch — the fish
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. scale — in music

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