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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 120 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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. track — a path
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. lie — to recline
  8. hand — in cards
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. rock — a stone
  11. perch — the fish
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. hand — help
  17. track — a song
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. squash — to crush
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. squash — the sport
  22. track — to keep track
  23. rock — music
  24. lie — an untruth

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