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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 124 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pit — a hole
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. fine — all right
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pit — in a race
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. fork — in a road
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. ball — a dance
  16. fine — high quality
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. perch — the fish
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. arm — a part of something

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