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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. board — a committee
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. lie — to recline
  7. perch — the fish
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. prune — to trim
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. board — to get on
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. prune — to trim
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mouse — the animal

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