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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. ground — the earth
  3. last — final
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rock — music
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. rock — a stone
  14. ground — crushed
  15. mug — a cup
  16. ground — a position
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — to rob
  19. last — to go on
  20. bulb — for light
  21. perch — the fish
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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