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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. file — a line of people
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. file — a document
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. board — a committee
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. file — a tool
  15. kick — in football
  16. lean — thin
  17. board — to get on
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — of the year
  21. perch — the fish
  22. lean — to bend
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. hide — to keep secret

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