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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mate — a partner
  4. kid — to tease
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. perch — the fish
  7. content — happy
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. kid — child
  12. mate — a friend
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mate — to breed
  17. vault — a safe
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. lie — to recline
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mouse — for a computer

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