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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. rash — a series
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — there
  6. present — a gift
  7. rock — music
  8. scale — in music
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. scale — size or range
  11. perch — the fish
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. rest — what's left
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. rash — hasty
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rest — a break
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rest — what's left

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