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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. can — a tin
  3. bound — tied together
  4. drill — a practice
  5. bound — obliged
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bound — certain
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. drill — army training
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. can — a tin
  12. degree — an amount
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. degree — from a university
  16. perch — the fish
  17. drill — the tool
  18. degree — temperature
  19. dip — to sink
  20. can — to be able to
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. racket — a loud noise

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