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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. pit — in a race
  3. perch — the fish
  4. pit — a hole
  5. scale — in music
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rock — music
  12. bulb — for light
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. rock — a stone
  18. lie — to recline
  19. game — a match
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. scale — size or range
  24. mark — a trace

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