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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. track — a path
  5. suit — to fit
  6. track — a song
  7. present — there
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. rest — what's left
  11. field — for sport
  12. rest — a break
  13. track — to keep track
  14. rest — what's left
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. field — farmland
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. present — a gift
  22. field — a subject
  23. present — the time now
  24. suit — in cards

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