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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 116 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. hand — in cards
  8. content — the amount
  9. rash — hasty
  10. mark — a trace
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. content — happy
  13. firm — decided
  14. hand — help
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. firm — steady
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. firm — a company
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. rash — a series
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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