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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.

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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bound — obliged
  7. pit — a hole
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. drill — army training
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bound — tied together
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bound — certain
  20. drill — the tool
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pit — in a race
  24. ball — a dance

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