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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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 — the fish
  3. tube — the underground
  4. lie — to recline
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. tube — a container
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. stick — to attach or keep to

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