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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — a measure
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. suit — to fit
  7. band — a music group
  8. suit — clothes
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. suit — in cards
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — a trail
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — music
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. pop — soda
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. band — a ring
  22. kick — in football
  23. perch — the fish
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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