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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. swing — to play on
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. court — of law
  7. swing — music
  8. sharp — clever
  9. key — in music
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. perch — the fish
  14. swing — in golf
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. court — for sport
  18. ball — a great time
  19. key — the most important part
  20. ball — a dance
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. court — of a king
  24. key — for a lock

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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