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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — in music
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — ground
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fine — all right
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bore — to drill
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bore — to tire
  22. land — a country
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bore — gave birth

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