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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. suit — to fit
  3. ground — a position
  4. wound — an injury
  5. track — to keep track
  6. perch — the fish
  7. suit — clothes
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. track — a song
  14. ground — crushed
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. ground — the earth
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. chair — a leader
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. suit — in cards
  24. track — a path

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