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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. fine — high quality
  3. perch — the fish
  4. present — the time now
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hand — help
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. fine — all right
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. present — there
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. present — a gift
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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