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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bound — obliged
  6. perch — the fish
  7. net — in sport
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bound — certain
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bear — the animal
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. net — for catching
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. snap — to click
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bulb — for light
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. net — after costs

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