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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a great time
  3. perch — the fish
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bank — for money
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bank — for money
  8. scale — in music
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. track — a song
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. track — to keep track
  15. ball — a dance
  16. scale — size or range
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. track — a path
  22. bank — of a river
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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