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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. cold — an illness
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. present — there
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. cap — a lid
  8. present — a gift
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cold — not warm
  11. cap — a hat
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. present — the time now
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. cap — of ice
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. perch — the fish
  24. wave — of the sea

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