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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 116 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. stand — to bear
  5. track — a path
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bound — tied together
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. shower — rain
  14. bound — obliged
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. shower — to wash
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bound — certain
  23. track — to keep track
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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