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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. file — a document
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bulb — for light
  8. race — the arms race
  9. race — a contest
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. file — a tool
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a cup
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. lie — to recline
  20. file — a line of people
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. bulb — for light
  23. race — humankind
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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