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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. ground — crushed
  3. key — in music
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. ground — the earth
  6. key — the most important part
  7. ground — a position
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. key — for a lock
  20. perch — the fish
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. dip — to sink
  24. calf — a young animal

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