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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. dip — to sink
  3. shower — rain
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. swing — music
  6. bound — tied together
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bound — certain
  10. swing — to play on
  11. shower — to wash
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bulb — for light
  17. swing — in golf
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bass — low music
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bass — 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