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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 120 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lean — to bend
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. swing — to play on
  5. spell — a short time
  6. mark — a grade
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. spell — letters
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. swing — music
  15. spell — magic
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. swing — in golf
  20. mark — a trace
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. lean — thin
  24. perch — the fish

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