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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. lie — to recline
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. current — of water
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. vault — a safe
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. current — happening now
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. current — electric
  22. pitch — completely
  23. rash — a series
  24. rash — hasty

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