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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 120 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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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. suit — in cards
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. last — finally
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. can — a tin
  8. dip — to sink
  9. last — final
  10. root — the cause
  11. last — to go on
  12. can — a tin
  13. root — of a word
  14. perch — the fish
  15. can — to be able to
  16. cell — a phone
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. root — of a plant
  19. cell — in biology
  20. suit — to fit
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. suit — clothes
  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