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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bound — obliged
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bear — the animal
  8. roll — a list
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. game — wild animals
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bound — tied together
  14. game — a match
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. roll — a cake
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bound — certain
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pit — in a race

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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