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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mate — a friend
  3. rest — what's left
  4. row — to paddle
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. mate — a partner
  9. perch — the fish
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. lie — to recline
  15. game — a match
  16. bulb — for light
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bulb — for light
  20. game — wild animals
  21. row — a line
  22. mate — to breed
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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