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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. cap — a lid
  3. ball — a great time
  4. drill — the tool
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. drill — army training
  12. snap — to click
  13. ball — a dance
  14. firm — steady
  15. perch — the fish
  16. vault — a safe
  17. shower — to wash
  18. cap — of ice
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. firm — a company
  21. shower — rain
  22. drill — a practice
  23. firm — decided
  24. cap — a hat

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