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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. spell — letters
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. can — a tin
  8. cell — a phone
  9. spell — a short time
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. perch — the fish
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. track — to keep track
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. spell — magic
  20. track — a path
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. track — a song
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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