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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. firm — decided
  5. rock — a stone
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. prune — to trim
  9. current — happening now
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. current — of water
  12. firm — a company
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. firm — steady
  15. current — electric
  16. bass — the fish
  17. prune — to trim
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bass — low music
  22. rock — music
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. perch — 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