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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rest — a break
  8. mate — to breed
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wind — moving air
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rest — what's left
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. perch — the fish
  24. stand — to bear

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