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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. face — to confront
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. object — a thing
  7. cell — a phone
  8. perch — the fish
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. face — part of the head
  11. cell — in biology
  12. suit — in cards
  13. face — to point toward
  14. race — the arms race
  15. race — humankind
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. object — to protest
  22. race — a contest
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. suit — clothes

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