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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 120 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. perch — the fish
  6. ground — the earth
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stand — to bear
  9. fall — the season
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. ground — a position
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bore — to tire
  18. ground — crushed
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bore — to drill
  24. saw — the tool

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