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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. root — of a plant
  8. root — of a word
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. drill — the tool
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lie — to recline
  15. drill — a practice
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. ball — a dance
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. root — the cause
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. drill — army training
  22. perch — the fish
  23. ball — a great time
  24. foot — a measure

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