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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bear — the animal
  3. charge — electricity
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. bark — to shout
  8. charge — a price
  9. dip — to sink
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. stem — to come from
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. perch — the fish
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bear — the animal
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. charge — in control

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