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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. mug — a face
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. capital — money
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — in music
  11. capital — a city
  12. snap — to click
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bark — to shout
  15. mug — to rob
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. can — a tin
  20. mug — a cup
  21. can — a tin
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. can — to be able to
  24. perch — for a bird

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