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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. vault — a safe
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rash — a series
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. toast — bread
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rash — hasty
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — an injury

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