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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. club — for golf
  3. perch — the fish
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. kick — in football
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. club — for dancing
  17. club — a group
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the 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