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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. can — a tin
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. lean — thin
  6. suit — to fit
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rock — music
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. lean — to bend
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. suit — in cards
  13. mine — for digging
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. can — a tin
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. can — to be able to
  18. perch — the fish
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rock — a stone
  24. lean — to rest against

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