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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. can — a tin
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. game — a match
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. can — to be able to
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. perch — the fish
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. can — a tin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. present — there
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. present — a gift
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. game — wild animals
  20. present — the time now
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — of the sea

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