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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. roll — a list
  5. charge — a price
  6. snap — to click
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. perch — the fish
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — in sport
  15. suit — clothes
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. suit — to fit
  18. scale — in music
  19. net — for catching
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. charge — in control
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. charge — electricity

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