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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. perch — the fish
  5. track — to keep track
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. swing — music
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bear — the animal
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. swing — in golf
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. swing — to play on
  20. track — a song
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. track — a path
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bear — the animal

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