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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. drill — army training
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. drill — the tool
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. perch — the fish
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bound — certain
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bound — obliged
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. roll — a cake
  18. suit — clothes
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. roll — a list
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bound — tied together

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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