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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. season — in sport
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. spell — a short time
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. perch — the fish
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. season — of the year
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. lie — to recline
  18. spell — magic
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. fork — in a road
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. spell — letters
  24. perch — for a bird

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