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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wake — a trail
  3. lean — to bend
  4. mug — a face
  5. kid — child
  6. kid — to tease
  7. march — the month
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. mug — a cup
  10. firm — steady
  11. mug — to rob
  12. march — the month
  13. lean — thin
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. firm — decided
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. march — music
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. firm — a company
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. perch — the fish

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