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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 116 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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bat — the animal
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. tube — a container
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. tube — the underground
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. staff — employees
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. staff — employees
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. staff — a stick
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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