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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. track — a path
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. scale — size or range
  6. land — ground
  7. perch — the fish
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. land — to come down
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. scale — in music
  15. land — a country
  16. track — to keep track
  17. pound — a weight
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. ball — a dance
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. track — a song
  24. leaves — lets stay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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