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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bulb — for light
  4. perch — the fish
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rock — music
  8. chest — of your body
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. fork — in a road
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. pound — a weight
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. rock — a stone
  15. chest — a box
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. rest — a break
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. rest — what's left

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