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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  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. file — a document
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. file — a tool
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. ball — a great time
  7. can — a tin
  8. tube — a container
  9. ball — a dance
  10. snap — to click
  11. tube — the underground
  12. season — in sport
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. perch — the fish
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. can — to be able to
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. file — a line of people
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. can — a tin
  23. season — of the year
  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