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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. press — newspapers
  5. pop — to visit
  6. season — of the year
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. band — a music group
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. band — a ring
  12. press — to push
  13. press — a publisher
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. march — the month
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. march — music
  19. sharp — clever
  20. march — the month
  21. season — in sport
  22. perch — the fish
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — music

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