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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. key — in music
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. deal — to handle
  6. perch — the fish
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pitch — completely
  12. season — in sport
  13. pit — a hole
  14. season — of the year
  15. scale — size or range
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. key — for a lock
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. scale — in music
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. key — the most important part

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