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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. scale — size or range
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. spring — the season
  10. spring — a coil
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. lie — to recline
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. spring — of water
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. snap — to click
  21. scale — in music
  22. perch — the fish
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. nail — for a hammer

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