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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. chest — of your body
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — certain
  9. chest — a box
  10. root — of a word
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. root — of a plant
  14. perch — the fish
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. chest — of your body
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. root — the cause
  20. key — for a lock
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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