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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. present — a gift
  6. bound — certain
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bound — tied together
  9. cap — of ice
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. perch — the fish
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. present — there
  24. cap — a hat

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