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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. saw — the tool
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. rock — a stone
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. pitch — completely
  17. foot — a measure
  18. prune — to trim
  19. saw — the tool
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. rock — music
  22. season — of the year
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. season — in sport

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