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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. face — part of the head
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. face — to point toward
  7. face — to confront
  8. perch — the fish
  9. mate — a partner
  10. spring — a coil
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — in control
  13. mate — to breed
  14. sharp — clever
  15. mate — a friend
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. spring — of water
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fine — all right
  22. charge — electricity
  23. spring — the season
  24. fine — high quality

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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