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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bound — tied together
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fork — in a road
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. field — a subject
  12. current — happening now
  13. bound — obliged
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. field — farmland
  16. field — for sport
  17. lie — to recline
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bound — certain
  21. current — electric
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. current — of water
  24. bowl — to roll

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