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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. deal — to handle
  3. object — a thing
  4. chair — a leader
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. object — an aim
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pound — a weight
  16. object — to protest
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. perch — the fish
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. leaves — lets stay

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