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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. ground — the earth
  3. track — a song
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. track — to keep track
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — crushed
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. perch — the fish
  24. track — a path

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