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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. scale — in music
  3. court — of a king
  4. perch — the fish
  5. key — the most important part
  6. court — for sport
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. court — of law
  16. key — for a lock
  17. vault — a safe
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. scale — size or range
  24. key — in music

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