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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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Word bank
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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bulb — for light
  4. swing — in golf
  5. craft — a skill
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. perch — the fish
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — a short time
  12. swing — to play on
  13. fine — all right
  14. lie — to recline
  15. spell — magic
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. craft — boats
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. fine — high quality
  22. swing — music
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fine — a penalty

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