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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. court — for sport
  9. craft — boats
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. craft — a skill
  15. wake — a trail
  16. court — of law
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. lie — to recline
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. dip — to sink
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. court — of a king

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