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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the sport
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. clip — to cut
  7. suit — in cards
  8. clip — a video
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bulb — for light
  11. chest — of your body
  12. chest — of your body
  13. clip — for paper
  14. bulb — for light
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. perch — the fish
  18. lie — to recline
  19. chest — a box
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. suit — clothes
  24. perch — for a bird

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