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

Word bank: perch · prune · bay · scale · nail · kick · wake · pit

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. kick — in football
  4. prune — to trim
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. scale — in music
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. perch — the fish
  10. pit — in a race
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. wake — a trail
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pit — a hole
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. prune — to trim
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. scale — size or range

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