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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. perch — the fish
  3. cap — a lid
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. rule — a law
  8. can — a tin
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. court — of a king
  11. cap — of ice
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. court — of law
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. cap — a hat
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — low music
  23. rule — government
  24. court — for sport

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