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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. press — to push
  8. field — a subject
  9. press — newspapers
  10. field — for sport
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. pit — a hole
  14. foot — a measure
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. field — farmland
  17. press — a publisher
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. ball — a dance
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. cabinet — ministers

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