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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wake — a trail
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. face — part of the head
  10. tube — a container
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. tube — the underground
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — to confront

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