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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. suit — to fit
  4. net — in sport
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. net — after costs
  8. saw — the tool
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wound — an injury
  15. suit — clothes
  16. perch — the fish
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. net — for catching
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. saw — past of 'see'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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