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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. net — for catching
  3. land — to come down
  4. fine — all right
  5. perch — the fish
  6. fine — high quality
  7. ball — a great time
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — a stone
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. club — for golf
  12. land — a country
  13. lie — to recline
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. club — for dancing
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. net — after costs
  18. land — ground
  19. ball — a dance
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. club — a group
  22. net — in sport
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rock — music

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