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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 116 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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. saw — the tool
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. kid — to tease
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. perch — the fish
  14. kid — child
  15. saw — the tool
  16. suit — to fit
  17. chair — a leader
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. suit — in cards
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. suit — clothes
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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