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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. rest — what's left
  5. perch — the fish
  6. drill — the tool
  7. drill — a practice
  8. shower — to wash
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. kick — in football
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. drill — army training
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. shower — rain

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