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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. perch — the fish
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — of a plant
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. object — an aim
  13. bass — low music
  14. pop — music
  15. saw — the tool
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. object — a thing
  18. bass — the fish
  19. object — to protest
  20. pop — to visit
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — a list
  23. pop — soda
  24. perch — for a bird

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