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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. suit — in cards
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — to protest
  5. key — in music
  6. object — an aim
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. perch — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. stock — shares
  13. field — farmland
  14. field — a subject
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. key — for a lock
  19. suit — to fit
  20. key — the most important part
  21. stock — goods
  22. field — for sport
  23. suit — clothes
  24. leaves — of a tree

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