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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. object — a thing
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. shower — rain
  7. mark — a trace
  8. kick — in football
  9. pop — music
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. pop — soda
  13. cap — of ice
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. cap — a hat
  16. perch — the fish
  17. object — an aim
  18. shower — to wash
  19. pop — to visit
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. object — to protest
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. cap — a lid

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