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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 124 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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. roll — a list
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. pit — in a race
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. pop — soda
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pop — music
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. pit — a hole
  14. chip — for betting
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. chair — a leader
  17. roll — a cake
  18. perch — the fish
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pop — to visit
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. chip — to eat

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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