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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. ball — a dance
  3. land — to come down
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. club — for golf
  7. present — the time now
  8. ball — a great time
  9. season — of the year
  10. club — a group
  11. pass — a permit
  12. land — ground
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. land — a country
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. club — for dancing
  19. season — in sport
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. present — there
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. present — a gift

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