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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 116 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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — music
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. current — electric
  6. court — of a king
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for dancing
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. club — for golf
  14. court — of law
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. current — of water
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. current — happening now
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. court — for sport
  24. perch — the fish

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