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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 120 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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. dip — to sink
  3. track — to keep track
  4. squash — the sport
  5. club — a group
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. pit — in a race
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. club — for golf
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — a hole
  15. perch — the fish
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. club — for dancing
  23. deal — to handle
  24. squash — to crush

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