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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 116 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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pop — to visit
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — a price
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. bore — to drill
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. pop — music
  12. lie — to recline
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — moving air
  15. pop — soda
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. branch — a division
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bore — to tire
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. perch — the fish
  24. lie — an untruth

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