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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 116 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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. spring — of water
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. object — to protest
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. object — a thing
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. lie — to recline
  11. deal — to handle
  12. spring — the season
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. spring — a coil
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. object — an aim
  24. deal — an agreement

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