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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. fork — in a road
  3. last — final
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bass — low music
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. wake — a trail
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. last — finally
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. last — to go on
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pitch — completely
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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