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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. pop — music
  7. perch — the fish
  8. date — the fruit
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — electricity
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. charge — in control
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. row — to paddle
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pop — soda
  21. row — a line
  22. lie — to recline
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pop — to visit

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