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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a hole
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. band — a ring
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bound — certain
  12. rush — hurry
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. bound — tied together
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. bound — obliged
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. wake — a trail
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. band — a music group
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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