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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. object — an aim
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. current — happening now
  7. object — to protest
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. object — a thing
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. perch — the fish
  15. capital — money
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. capital — a city
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. current — of water
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. prune — to trim
  23. current — electric
  24. pass — a permit

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