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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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Word bank
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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. present — a gift
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. swing — to play on
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. present — the time now
  7. spell — magic
  8. scale — in music
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pass — a permit
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. craft — boats
  14. perch — the fish
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — letters
  17. present — there
  18. swing — music
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. swing — in golf
  21. pound — a weight
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. perch — for a bird

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