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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. track — a song
  4. land — to come down
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. dip — to sink
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. craft — a skill
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. land — a country
  15. land — ground
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rule — government
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rule — a law
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a path
  23. pass — a permit
  24. craft — boats

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