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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. fine — all right
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. land — to come down
  9. content — the amount
  10. land — a country
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. land — ground
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. content — happy
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. pitch — completely
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. lash — to lash out

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