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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. band — a music group
  3. rock — a stone
  4. field — for sport
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. band — a ring
  10. field — farmland
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pass — a permit
  13. perch — the fish
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bulb — for light
  17. field — a subject
  18. rock — music

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