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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. current — of water
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. firm — steady
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. firm — decided
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. key — in music
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. key — for a lock
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. firm — a company
  18. key — the most important part
  19. perch — the fish
  20. current — electric
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — moving air
  23. current — happening now
  24. wave — of the sea

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