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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rush — hurry
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. track — to keep track
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. track — a path
  12. lean — thin
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. perch — the fish
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. track — a song
  18. lean — to bend
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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