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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. vault — a safe
  4. net — in sport
  5. lean — thin
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — for catching
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. key — in music
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. lean — to bend
  13. suit — to fit
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. charge — in control
  18. key — for a lock
  19. suit — clothes
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. suit — in cards
  22. key — the most important part
  23. charge — a price
  24. lean — to rest against

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