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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — the fish
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bass — low music
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — a series
  12. scale — in music
  13. chip — to eat
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. perch — the fish
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — size or range
  19. fine — all right
  20. chip — for betting
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wound — an injury
  23. fine — high quality
  24. rash — hasty

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