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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. perch — the fish
  8. mate — to breed
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. mate — a friend
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bulb — for light
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mate — a partner
  17. game — wild animals
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bulb — for light
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. game — a match
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. plane — a tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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