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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. key — in music
  8. bear — the animal
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. key — for a lock
  13. spell — a short time
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. spell — letters
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. spell — magic
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. key — the most important part
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — a trace

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