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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. hand — in cards
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. hand — help
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. rock — a stone
  16. wound — an injury
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. rock — music
  21. wound — an injury
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. foot — a measure

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