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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wound — an injury
  3. saw — the tool
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. spell — letters
  6. saw — the tool
  7. wound — an injury
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. plane — a tool
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. spell — magic
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. perch — the fish
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. spell — a short time
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. stand — to bear

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