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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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468
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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pit — a hole
  5. spell — letters
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. spell — a short time
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. spell — magic
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. perch — the fish
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fall — the season
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. jam — a tight spot

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