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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bass — the fish
  3. face — to point toward
  4. net — for catching
  5. present — there
  6. present — the time now
  7. mate — a partner
  8. face — to confront
  9. net — in sport
  10. face — part of the head
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — low music
  19. rock — music
  20. net — after costs
  21. pound — a weight
  22. present — a gift
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a friend

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