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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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. fine — all right
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. perch — the fish
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — thin
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wake — a trail
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. march — the month
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. kick — in football
  22. fine — high quality
  23. march — the month
  24. bulb — for light

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