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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. wound — an injury
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. object — a thing
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. wound — an injury
  12. scale — size or range
  13. charge — electricity
  14. perch — the fish
  15. charge — a price
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. object — to protest
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. charge — in control
  20. scale — in music
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. perch — for a bird

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