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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. stem — to come from
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. toast — bread
  8. chest — of your body
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. charge — in control
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fine — high quality
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. chest — a box
  16. charge — a price
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. charge — electricity
  19. fine — all right
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. perch — the fish
  23. chest — of your body
  24. fan — to cool the air

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