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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. date — the fruit
  3. bulb — for light
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. wind — moving air
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. wind — moving air
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rule — government
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. perch — the fish
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. rule — a law
  24. rock — to move gently

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