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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. court — of a king
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bass — low music
  7. court — of law
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bass — the fish
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — all right
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. court — for sport
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. pound — a weight

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