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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. wound — an injury
  9. roll — a list
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. branch — a division
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. content — happy
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. deal — to handle
  17. roll — a cake
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. content — the amount
  21. perch — the fish
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. wound — an injury
  24. branch — of a bank

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