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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. suit — in cards
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. board — a committee
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. stand — to bear
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. dip — to sink
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. suit — clothes
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. hand — in cards
  18. perch — the fish
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. hand — help
  21. board — to get on
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. rush — hurry
  24. suit — to fit

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