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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.

Make a worksheet

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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bear — the animal
  4. scale — size or range
  5. perch — the fish
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. march — the month
  8. march — the month
  9. court — of a king
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bound — certain
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. march — music
  14. bound — obliged
  15. scale — in music
  16. spell — magic
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. court — of law
  19. bear — the animal
  20. spell — letters
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. court — for sport
  23. bound — tied together
  24. hide — to keep secret

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