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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. squash — to crush
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bass — the fish
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — the time now
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. present — there
  15. key — for a lock
  16. stem — to come from
  17. pitch — completely
  18. key — in music
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bass — low music
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. roll — a cake

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