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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. mark — a grade
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. perch — the fish
  8. chip — for betting
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. plane — a tool
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bark — to shout
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. mouse — the animal

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