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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bound — obliged
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. dip — to sink
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. roll — a list
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bound — tied together
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. drill — a practice
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bound — certain
  18. drill — army training
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. roll — a cake
  21. drill — the tool
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. perch — the fish
  24. calf — of the leg

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