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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 120 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bear — the animal
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bat — the animal
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pitch — completely
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. staff — employees
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. staff — employees
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pitch — a sports field

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