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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  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. rock — music
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. perch — the fish
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. hand — in cards
  9. roll — a list
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. rock — a stone
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. hand — help
  17. board — a committee
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. board — to get on
  22. bulb — for light
  23. toast — bread
  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