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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 116 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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. rash — hasty
  4. vault — a safe
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. rash — a series
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. file — a tool
  14. scale — size or range
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. scale — in music
  18. file — a line of people
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. file — a document
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. calf — a young animal
  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