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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 took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. drill — army training
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. perch — the fish
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rock — music
  11. court — of law
  12. drill — a practice
  13. drill — the tool
  14. court — of a king
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — a stone
  17. court — for sport
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. deal — to handle

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