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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. key — in music
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. swing — to play on
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. swing — in golf
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. rock — music
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bark — to shout
  18. pound — a weight
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. swing — music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. rock — a stone
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bark — of a tree

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