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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 120 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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bat — the animal
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — in a road
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. bass — low music
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. firm — decided
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. march — the month
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. march — music
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. march — the month
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. season — in sport
  22. firm — steady
  23. season — of the year
  24. firm — a company

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