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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · perch · dip · pitcher · court · toast · cap · present

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. cap — a lid
  4. dip — to sink
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. present — there
  7. cap — of ice
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. cap — a hat
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. perch — the fish
  12. present — the time now
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. present — a gift
  16. court — for sport
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. court — of law
  20. court — of a king
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. toast — bread
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. perch — for a bird

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