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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. saw — the tool
  3. clip — for paper
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. scale — size or range
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. saw — the tool
  8. track — a path
  9. track — to keep track
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. clip — a video
  12. board — to get on
  13. clip — to cut
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. board — a committee
  16. bear — the animal
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. scale — in music
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. track — a song
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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