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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 120 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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — low music
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cell — a phone
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. suit — clothes
  9. root — of a word
  10. suit — to fit
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. root — of a plant
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. root — the cause
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. chest — of your body
  18. suit — in cards
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. cell — in biology
  22. chest — of your body
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bass — the instrument

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