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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. mate — a friend
  10. club — a group
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. club — for dancing
  13. lean — to bend
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — a tool
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. club — for golf
  20. mate — to breed
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. perch — for a bird

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