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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a dance
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. firm — decided
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. firm — steady
  10. chair — a leader
  11. can — a tin
  12. firm — a company
  13. field — for sport
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. field — farmland
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. can — a tin
  21. bark — to shout
  22. field — a subject
  23. ball — a great time
  24. can — to be able to

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