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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. charge — in control
  7. bear — the animal
  8. band — a ring
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. band — a music group
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bound — obliged
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. bound — certain
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. bore — to tire

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