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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. cap — a lid
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. cap — of ice
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. can — a tin
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. can — a tin
  11. file — a tool
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bat — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. file — a document
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. cap — a hat
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. can — to be able to

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