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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — to get on
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bulb — for light
  6. present — a gift
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. track — to keep track
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. present — there
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. present — the time now
  17. track — a song
  18. bulb — for light
  19. hand — help
  20. track — a path
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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