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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. object — to protest
  3. club — a group
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. object — a thing
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. drill — a practice
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. club — for dancing
  14. bat — the animal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. object — an aim
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. club — for golf
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — army training

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