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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.

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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. mug — a cup
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. foot — a measure
  8. chair — a leader
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. perch — the fish
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pitch — completely
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. mug — to rob
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. mug — a face

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