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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to point toward
  5. drill — army training
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. cap — of ice
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. drill — the tool
  11. board — a committee
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. drill — a practice
  15. face — to confront
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. board — to get on
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. cap — a lid
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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