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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. staff — employees
  4. mark — a grade
  5. staff — a stick
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. club — for dancing
  8. ball — a dance
  9. staff — employees
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the fish
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ball — a great time
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pit — in a race
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — a group
  20. pit — a hole
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. perch — for a bird

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