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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. row — a line
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. degree — an amount
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. row — to paddle
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bear — the animal
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. perch — the fish
  19. degree — temperature
  20. degree — from a university
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. hide — animal skin

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