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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mark — a trace
  4. key — in music
  5. pop — soda
  6. key — for a lock
  7. plane — a tool
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. rule — a law
  10. drill — the tool
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. drill — a practice
  13. pop — to visit
  14. perch — the fish
  15. mark — a grade
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. drill — army training
  19. key — the most important part
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. rule — government
  24. pop — music

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