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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bass — low music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. pitch — completely
  7. last — to go on
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. perch — the fish
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. last — finally
  17. march — music
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. staff — employees
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. last — final
  24. bass — the fish

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