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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. lean — to bend
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. cap — a hat
  7. kick — in football
  8. spell — letters
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. spell — magic
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. vault — a safe
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. cap — of ice
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. lean — thin
  19. toast — bread
  20. cap — a lid
  21. perch — the fish
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. spell — a short time

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