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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 120 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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. foot — a measure
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mark — a grade
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. perch — the fish
  20. wake — a trail
  21. mark — a trace
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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