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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. vault — a safe
  6. hand — in cards
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. hand — help
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. track — a path
  15. perch — the fish
  16. snap — to click
  17. track — a song
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. track — to keep track
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. pass — a permit
  24. wake — a trail

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