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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. pop — to visit
  4. wound — an injury
  5. track — a path
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pit — in a race
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. pop — soda
  10. track — to keep track
  11. object — a thing
  12. prune — to trim
  13. perch — the fish
  14. pop — music
  15. can — to be able to
  16. track — a song
  17. object — to protest
  18. can — a tin
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. can — a tin
  21. pit — a hole
  22. object — an aim
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. wound — an injury

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