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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. court — of law
  3. court — of a king
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pass — a permit
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — a skill
  13. court — for sport
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. craft — boats
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. perch — the fish
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. straw — a straw man

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