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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wound — an injury
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. row — to paddle
  9. pitch — completely
  10. rock — a stone
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rock — music
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. row — a line
  20. perch — the fish
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. wound — an injury
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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