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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. can — a tin
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. pitch — completely
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. chest — of your body
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wound — an injury
  15. perch — the fish
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. cue — a signal
  18. wax — to grow
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. chest — of your body
  23. wound — an injury
  24. cue — for pool

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