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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. present — a gift
  4. kick — in football
  5. court — of law
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. court — of a king
  9. perch — the fish
  10. rule — government
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. rule — a law
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. deal — to handle
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. court — for sport
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. present — there
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. present — the time now

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