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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. swing — in golf
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. mug — to rob
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. band — a ring
  9. mug — a face
  10. object — a thing
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. band — a music group
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bark — to shout
  16. mug — a cup
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. swing — music
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. perch — the fish
  22. object — to protest
  23. vault — a safe
  24. band — a rubber band

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