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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rule — government
  4. can — a tin
  5. face — to point toward
  6. club — for dancing
  7. face — part of the head
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rule — a law
  13. face — to confront
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. can — to be able to
  17. cell — in biology
  18. club — for golf
  19. can — a tin
  20. lie — to recline
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. club — a group
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cell — a phone

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