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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. tube — the underground
  3. perch — the fish
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. content — happy
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. foot — a measure
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. tube — a container
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. content — the amount
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — a safe
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. foot — part of the body

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