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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. fine — all right
  3. bulb — for light
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fine — high quality
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bulb — for light
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. perch — the fish
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. chest — a box

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