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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. object — an aim
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bound — certain
  6. object — to protest
  7. face — to confront
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bound — tied together
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. face — part of the head
  16. wind — moving air
  17. face — to point toward
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. perch — the fish
  21. wind — moving air
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bound — obliged
  24. object — a thing

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