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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. game — a match
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. perch — the fish
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. cap — a hat
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. ball — a dance
  18. cap — of ice
  19. date — the fruit
  20. ball — a great time
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. game — wild animals

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