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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.

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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. mine — for digging
  13. perch — the fish
  14. snap — to click
  15. bear — the animal
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hand — help
  24. mine — belonging to me

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