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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. vault — a safe
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. mate — a partner
  7. lie — to recline
  8. kid — child
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. perch — the fish
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. kid — to tease
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mate — a friend
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — happy
  21. mate — to breed
  22. suit — in cards
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. suit — clothes

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