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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. swing — music
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. can — to be able to
  7. lean — thin
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. swing — in golf
  11. perch — the fish
  12. wind — moving air
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. swing — to play on
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wind — moving air
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. can — a tin
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. lean — to bend
  22. can — a tin
  23. fine — all right
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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