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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 124 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wound — an injury
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. squash — to crush
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. wound — an injury
  19. chair — a leader
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. squash — the sport
  24. pass — to succeed

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