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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. charge — a price
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. cap — a lid
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. pit — a hole
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. perch — the fish
  11. charge — in control
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pit — in a race
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cap — a hat
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. deal — to handle
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. cap — of ice
  22. charge — electricity
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. patient — a sick person

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