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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bear — the animal
  5. content — the amount
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. current — electric
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. current — happening now
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bark — to shout
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. fall — the season
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. content — happy
  24. fall — to drop

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