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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  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. suit — in cards
  2. bear — the animal
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. scale — in music
  5. land — to come down
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. perch — the fish
  9. land — ground
  10. suit — clothes
  11. scale — size or range
  12. chest — of your body
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bear — the animal
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. foot — a measure
  20. chest — a box
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. land — a country
  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