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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. swing — to play on
  3. court — of a king
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. swing — in golf
  6. can — to be able to
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. court — of law
  10. lie — to recline
  11. perch — the fish
  12. mug — to rob
  13. craft — a skill
  14. pop — soda
  15. can — a tin
  16. mug — a face
  17. swing — music
  18. pop — music
  19. can — a tin
  20. court — for sport
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mug — a cup
  23. craft — boats
  24. pop — to visit

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