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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. vault — a safe
  9. wake — a trail
  10. board — a committee
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. drill — a practice
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. plane — a tool
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. drill — the tool
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. drill — army training
  23. board — to get on
  24. perch — the fish

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