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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. mine — for digging
  7. bear — the animal
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. perch — the fish
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. firm — steady
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. firm — decided
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. saw — the tool
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bear — the animal
  23. firm — a company
  24. trunk — 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