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

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pit — a hole
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. squash — the sport
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pop — music
  7. squash — to crush
  8. pop — to visit
  9. present — there
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pit — in a race
  13. present — the time now
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. present — a gift
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. shower — to wash
  20. perch — the fish
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. shower — rain
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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