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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 120 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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — a face
  5. object — to protest
  6. land — ground
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. land — a country
  10. pitch — completely
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. fall — to drop
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. object — a thing
  15. rock — music
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. mug — to rob
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fall — to drop
  21. perch — the fish
  22. fall — the season
  23. object — an aim
  24. land — to come down

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