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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. cell — in biology
  7. mark — a grade
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. stand — to bear
  10. shower — to wash
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. snap — to click
  13. club — a group
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. club — for dancing
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. cell — a phone
  21. shower — rain
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mark — a trace
  24. club — for golf

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