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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. march — music
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pit — in a race
  5. lie — to recline
  6. perch — the fish
  7. can — a tin
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. pit — a hole
  10. sharp — clever
  11. can — a tin
  12. march — the month
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. can — to be able to
  20. march — the month
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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