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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 116 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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. scale — size or range
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. can — a tin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. march — music
  8. march — the month
  9. can — a tin
  10. suit — clothes
  11. scale — in music
  12. march — the month
  13. land — a country
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. can — to be able to
  16. suit — to fit
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. suit — in cards
  19. land — ground
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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