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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. land — a country
  3. bound — tied together
  4. press — newspapers
  5. pit — a hole
  6. land — to come down
  7. bound — certain
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. press — to push
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. land — ground
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pit — in a race
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. perch — the fish
  22. press — a publisher
  23. prune — to trim
  24. safe — a strongbox

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