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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bass — low music
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. current — of water
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cap — of ice
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bass — the fish
  15. current — electric
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. cap — a lid
  20. current — happening now
  21. dip — to sink
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cap — a hat
  24. dip — to dunk

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