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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.

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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. rock — a stone
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. scale — size or range
  8. pop — soda
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — the fish
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. rock — music
  15. pop — music
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. scale — in music
  18. pop — to visit

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