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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bass — low music
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. file — a document
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. file — a tool
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. perch — the fish
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. file — a line of people
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bass — the fish

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