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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 120 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lean — to bend
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. lean — thin
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. court — of a king
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. court — for sport
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. court — of law

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