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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bound — tied together
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. perch — the fish
  9. tube — the underground
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. firm — steady
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. face — to confront
  14. tube — a container
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — part of the head
  18. firm — a company
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bound — obliged
  22. firm — decided
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bound — certain

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