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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. saw — the tool
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. current — of water
  5. lie — to recline
  6. season — of the year
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. last — to go on
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. last — finally
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. perch — the fish
  16. last — final
  17. current — happening now
  18. saw — the tool
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. scale — in music
  22. season — in sport
  23. current — electric
  24. scale — for weighing

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