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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 116 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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bass — low music
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. scale — in music
  6. rock — music
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bass — the fish
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. scale — size or range
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. staff — employees
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. rock — a stone
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. perch — for a bird

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