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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. can — a tin
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. tube — a container
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. present — the time now
  8. firm — steady
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. firm — a company
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. perch — the fish
  14. firm — decided
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. present — there
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. present — a gift
  24. tube — the underground

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