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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. tear — to rip
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. bound — obliged
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. press — newspapers
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. tear — from crying
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bound — tied together
  14. press — to push
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. tear — from crying
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. press — a publisher
  22. perch — the fish
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bound — certain

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