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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. ground — the earth
  5. bass — low music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. charge — in control
  9. ground — crushed
  10. court — of a king
  11. bass — the fish
  12. ground — a position
  13. charge — a price
  14. court — for sport
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. foot — a measure
  17. court — of law
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rock — music
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. nail — for a hammer

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