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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. roll — a list
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rush — hurry
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. foot — a measure
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pass — a permit
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. roll — a cake
  22. prune — to trim
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bear — the animal

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