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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. can — a tin
  3. bass — low music
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. march — music
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bass — the fish
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. deal — to handle
  14. can — a tin
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. can — to be able to
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. march — the month
  24. march — the month

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