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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. saw — the tool
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. swing — in golf
  5. saw — the tool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. net — after costs
  11. swing — music
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. snap — to click
  14. net — in sport
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. perch — the fish
  17. swing — to play on
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. net — for catching
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. stem — to come from

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