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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 120 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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. rule — government
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. club — for dancing
  7. club — a group
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bass — low music
  11. rule — a law
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. charge — in control
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bass — the fish
  18. club — for golf
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. charge — a price

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