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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. spell — letters
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bulb — for light
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bulb — for light
  14. deal — to handle
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. spell — a short time
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. spell — magic
  20. bass — low music
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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