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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bass · perch · prune · mouse · present · firm · key · spring

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — decided
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. present — there
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. spring — the season
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. prune — to trim
  10. present — a gift
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. key — in music
  13. spring — a coil
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. present — the time now
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — low music
  19. spring — of water
  20. firm — steady
  21. key — the most important part
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. perch — for a bird

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