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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.

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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. shower — to wash
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. kick — in football
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. scale — size or range
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. scale — in music
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. stand — to bear
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. shower — rain
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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