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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. dip — to sink
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. staff — employees
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. plane — a tool
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. staff — employees
  18. perch — the fish
  19. staff — a stick
  20. mine — for digging
  21. bear — the animal
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bear — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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