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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. root — of a plant
  4. fine — high quality
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. tear — from crying
  9. season — of the year
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. season — in sport
  13. fine — all right
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rock — music
  17. bass — the fish
  18. tear — to rip
  19. bass — low music
  20. root — of a word
  21. root — the cause
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. tear — from crying

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