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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — in music
  3. present — a gift
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. perch — the fish
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. clip — for paper
  8. dip — to sink
  9. clip — a video
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. scale — size or range
  13. present — there
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. present — the time now
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. clip — to cut

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