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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rash — a series
  4. field — farmland
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. rash — hasty
  8. firm — a company
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. field — for sport
  11. swing — music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. firm — decided
  18. swing — in golf
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. firm — steady
  22. swing — to play on
  23. field — a subject
  24. scale — in music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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