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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. club — for golf
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. club — for dancing
  6. bulb — for light
  7. track — a song
  8. bulb — for light
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. track — a path
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. club — a group
  15. current — electric
  16. track — to keep track
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. current — happening now
  22. chair — a leader
  23. current — of water
  24. deal — to handle

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