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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. prune — to trim
  3. scale — in music
  4. march — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. prune — to trim
  9. march — the month
  10. march — the month
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. roll — a list
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rock — music
  18. perch — the fish
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. roll — a cake
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. scale — size or range

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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