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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. firm — steady
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bear — the animal
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. foot — a measure
  8. net — after costs
  9. cap — a lid
  10. drill — the tool
  11. firm — decided
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. firm — a company
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. drill — army training
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cap — a hat
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bear — the animal
  23. net — for catching
  24. net — in sport

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