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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 124 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 will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rock — music
  3. can — a tin
  4. wind — moving air
  5. chip — to eat
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wind — moving air
  8. perch — the fish
  9. can — to be able to
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. suit — clothes
  12. field — for sport
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. can — a tin
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rock — a stone
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. field — farmland
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. field — a subject
  24. suit — in cards

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