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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. snap — to click
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cap — of ice
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. bark — to shout
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. cap — a hat
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. key — the most important part
  17. cap — a lid
  18. toast — bread
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. perch — the fish
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. prune — to trim
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. prune — to trim

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