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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. suit — in cards
  3. spell — a short time
  4. land — a country
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mate — a friend
  8. suit — to fit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mate — to breed
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. spell — magic
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. cue — a signal
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cue — for pool
  17. land — to come down
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. cue — a hint
  20. spell — letters
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. land — ground
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. prune — to trim

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