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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pop — music
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. vault — a safe
  7. wound — an injury
  8. board — to get on
  9. pop — soda
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rock — music
  13. board — a committee
  14. bulb — for light
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wound — an injury
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. pop — to visit
  21. perch — the fish
  22. rock — a stone
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bulb — of a plant

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