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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. ball — a great time
  3. perch — the fish
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. track — to keep track
  10. file — a document
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. file — a line of people
  14. ball — a dance
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. track — a path
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. track — a song
  20. file — a tool
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. perch — for a bird

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