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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. can — a tin
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. clip — to cut
  8. bark — to shout
  9. suit — in cards
  10. clip — a video
  11. perch — the fish
  12. can — to be able to
  13. suit — to fit
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fine — all right
  16. vault — a safe
  17. suit — clothes
  18. clip — for paper
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. can — a tin
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. ruler — for measuring

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