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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. foot — a measure
  3. fine — all right
  4. charge — in control
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. key — for a lock
  7. swing — in golf
  8. perch — the fish
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. swing — to play on
  11. rock — music
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. charge — a price
  14. key — the most important part
  15. rock — a stone
  16. swing — music
  17. charge — electricity
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. key — in music
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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