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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. scale — in music
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. press — newspapers
  8. stock — shares
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. face — to confront
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. track — to keep track
  13. face — to point toward
  14. press — to push
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. face — part of the head
  18. scale — size or range
  19. track — a song
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. press — a publisher
  23. stock — goods
  24. track — a path

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