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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pop — soda
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bulb — for light
  7. race — humankind
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bass — low music
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. race — a contest
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. chair — a leader
  16. bass — the fish
  17. pop — to visit
  18. perch — the fish
  19. board — to get on
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. board — a committee
  24. race — the arms race

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