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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bass — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. net — in sport
  7. bear — the animal
  8. perch — the fish
  9. band — a music group
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bass — low music
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. net — after costs
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. roll — a cake
  21. bulb — for light
  22. net — for catching
  23. band — a ring
  24. roll — a list

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