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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 124 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. net — in sport
  3. scale — in music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bear — the animal
  6. scale — size or range
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bear — the animal
  15. perch — the fish
  16. net — for catching
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. net — after costs

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