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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bass — low music
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. cap — a hat
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. cap — of ice
  16. root — the cause
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. root — of a plant
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. root — of a word

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