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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. lean — thin
  3. bore — to tire
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. clip — for paper
  8. bore — to drill
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. clip — a video
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. lean — to bend
  16. suit — in cards
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. clip — to cut
  23. ball — a great time
  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