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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. craft — boats
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. perch — the fish
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pit — a hole
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pop — soda
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pit — in a race
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bass — low music
  23. pop — to visit
  24. perch — for a bird

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