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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bass — the fish
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. track — a path
  5. track — to keep track
  6. can — a tin
  7. track — a song
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. can — a tin
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — music
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pop — to visit
  16. can — to be able to
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. pit — a hole
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bass — low music
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. lie — to recline
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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