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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 120 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. pass — a permit
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wake — a trail
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. board — a committee
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. squash — the sport
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. current — electric
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. squash — to crush
  16. current — of water
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. current — happening now
  21. hand — in cards
  22. board — to get on
  23. hand — help
  24. board — a flat piece

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