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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. content — the amount
  4. club — a group
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — happy
  7. club — for golf
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. can — a tin
  12. pop — to visit
  13. hand — help
  14. bulb — for light
  15. hand — in cards
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. club — for dancing
  21. pop — music
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pop — soda
  24. perch — 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